Say That You Love Me
by Lily's Thorns
Summary: To salvage her friend's reputation in the fashion world, Kinomoto Sakura arranged for Daidouji Tomoyo to appear in a new reality dating show. All seemed fine at first, but trouble ensues when Sakura captures the eyes of the bachelor, Li Syaoran, instead.
1. Image is everything

**Disclaimer: **The author does not own Card Captor Sakura or anything affiliated with it. She only has rights to the plot of the story and its AU characters.

**Summary:** Famous fashion designer and Daidouji Toy Company heiress, Daidouji Tomoyo, has just been dumped by her actor ex-boyfriend. What's worst, he called Tomoyo an emotional abuser in front of millions of Japanese people. To soften the blow to her reputation, Tomoyo's best friend, Kinomoto Sakura, hatched a plan for Tomoyo to appear in a new reality show "Are You The One?" and hoped that the former would make a great comeback out of it. All seemed fine at the beginning, but trouble ensues when Sakura catches Li Syaoran, the bachelor of the show's, attention instead. To make matters complicated, Sakura's resistance against his charms also deteriorate over the course of the show. Will she finally succumb to the passion that Li's kisses promise or will she stay true to her friend who has been with her since childhood?

* * *

**Say That You Love Me**

**Chapter 1: Image is everything **

* * *

"Tomoyo-chan, the mail's here!" 

Twenty-three year old Kinomoto Sakura shut the front door of their townhouse with her foot while she continued to scan the stack of envelopes in her hands.

"Bills, bills, bills, TIME, coupons, trash, bills, VOGUE, bill, bills, ELLE, studio 24, bills, hey, wait a second –"

At the sight of one of the letters, Sakura gave out an extremely loud squeal of delight. "OH MY GOD! TOMOYO! TOMOYO-CHAN!!! IT'S HERE!!! AAAAAAAHHHHH! OH MY GOD! TOMOYO-CHAN!!!"

Hearing her best friend scream on top of her lungs, Daidouji Tomoyo ran outside of the bathroom wrapped only in a short purple towel and quickly grabbed the fire extinguisher attached to the wall. Skidding across the floor, she hurriedly went to her friend's rescue.

"WHERE'S THE FIRE? WHERE'S THE FIRE? WHERE IS IT? WHERE? WHERE? WHERE IS IT?" Her amethyst eyes darted around the hallway in alarm.

Sakura looked at her friend in confusion and raised her eyebrow at Tomoyo's half-naked and dripping appearance. "What are you talking about?"

Tomoyo glared at her friend when she realized there was no emergency at all and that Sakura's screaming had only caused an unnecessary interruption of her relaxing shower. Placing the fire extinguisher down by her foot, she muttered angry curses underneath her breath.

"I was _in the middle of shampooing my hair_ when I heard you _scream_ and I thought _something bad_ had happened to you or that maybe you _almost burned_ down the house! _Again_!" Tomoyo replied angrily.

The auburn haired woman blushed upon the reminder of her near death experience in the kitchen and pretended to remove the lint from her shirt to hide her embarrassment. In her defence, it was the cookbook's fault for instructing her to boil the eggs. How was she supposed to know that placing them in the microwave to heat it up faster would cause the eggs to explode? Or that you needed to add water in the rice cooker when cooking rice?

"Okay, okay… Okay already! You've made your point! Anyway, the letter from Studio 24 just arrived." Sakura whipped out the small white envelope from the pile and handed it over to her friend.

Tomoyo mumbled a word of thanks, as she anxiously looked at the letter in her trembling hands. The moment she had been waiting for has finally come… An answer to her prayers… A way to show the world the world what she was really made of… A time to get even…

"Well, go ahead! Hurry up and open it!" Sakura urged her.

"Right."

Nodding her head in agreement, Tomoyo tore the letter open and quickly read its contents. Though her moment of silence was nerve-wracking, Sakura waited patiently for her friend's news and watched her face for any indication of what the paper might have said. She literally jumped in surprise when Tomoyo gave out a loud shriek of happiness and began shaking her by the shoulders.

"AAAAAHHHH!!! SAKURA-CHAN, I GOT IN! I GOT IN! I GOT IN!!!"

It took a few seconds before Tomoyo's words registered in Sakura's head and when it finally did, she quickly pried the letter from her fingers and read the bold words herself.

"AAAAHHHHH!!!" Sakura screamed in confirmation and hugged her friend in excitement. "IT'S TRUE! YOU GOT IN! YOU GOT IN!!! YOU REALLY GOT IN! AAAAHHHHHH!"

* * *

Three months ago, Tomoyo saw an advertisement on the newspaper saying that the popular Studio 24 needed twenty women to appear in a new hit reality dating show called "Are You The One?" At first, she looked at the public notice skeptically. After watching the recent dating shows on television, her opinions of it were quickly shattered. She always thought that the contestant seemed fake. Their dialogues sounded more like it came from a script rather than from each person's heart itself. As she looked at the ad in derision, she promised herself that she would never be caught dead in one of those shows even if someone were to pay her a million dollars. 

However, one should know better than to tempt fate, for that same afternoon she received a phone call from her boyfriend that would quickly change her life forever.

"Moshi moshi." Tomoyo greeted.

"Konichiwa (Hello) Tomoyo. It's Jin." The voice from the other end replied.

"Jin!" she called out his name in delight. "I was just about to call you!"

"Oh…. Really?"

"Yes! Really!" Tomoyo said, rolling her eyes. "I have some good news! Ohhhh! I'm sure you'll be very happy when you hear it!"

"Hear what?" he asked.

"Oh! Well, you'll be thrilled to know that I've finished my wedding designs for the winter season. You know what this means, don't you? My schedule is free for next Saturday!!! Isn't that fantastic?! Isn't it?! I can come with you and your friends to Port Island and I can bring along Sakura to meet them too!"

After a few moments of silence, Jin finally answered, "That's… wonderful, Tomoyo."

Tomoyo was in such a happy mood that she missed the hint of disappointment on his tone.

"Isn't it? I just can't wait to get Sakura in some of the clothes that I've designed! It'll be a fantastic! A perfect fit!" she said excitedly.

"Tomoyo, I –"

"Plus, I've got this new camera that I want to try out. I'm sure I can get a lot of great shots of the scenery there. It's been a while since I've been to Port Island! It'll be a refreshing trip away from the city and all its noise!"

"Tomoyo please let me –"

"And oh, I'll bring along some snacks for the ride too! Would you like to make those cupcakes that I made for your birthday last year? Do you want me to make the chocolate ones or vanilla this time? Or maybe I should –"

Unable to take any more of Tomoyo's words, Jin finally cried out, "STOP TOMOYO! PLEASE STOP! I – I… I'm sorry but I'm not taking you with me."

Tomoyo looked at the phone confusion and then after rationally calculating his behaviour, she cheerfully told him that it was okay; she understood that men will always needs a guys' night out. "Perhaps I could use this coming weekend to catch up on some designs. Maybe work on some new ideas and –"

Jin let out a guilty sigh before interrupting her yet again.

"Tomoyo, I'm not just hanging out with the guys." He said leaving Tomoyo as puzzled as ever.

"I'm not following you," she said slowly. "But go on…"

"I'm really sorry Tomoyo. Really sorry…" He began. "But the reason why I'm not taking you with me is because I've already invited someone else."

Tomoyo took the phone of her ear and looked at it incredulously. "You're… WHAT?"

"You – you've been so busy for the past three weeks that I haven't, well, seen or heard from you." He stammered. "I thought that - that maybe you've forgotten about me or you weren't interested in me anymore… For Pete's sake, I left you so many text messages and e-mails, and you didn't answer any of them! I –"

"I was busy!" Tomoyo cried out in frustration. "You knew I had a pressing deadline for the December fashion show! Everything has to be at least twelve weeks ready before the seamstresses and I can actually work on the dresses! I was already behind as it is!"

Jin, however, ignored her and continued on with his rant.

"Seriously, Tomoyo! How long does it take for a person to write their boyfriend a simple reply?! To let them know that their girlfriend is at least alive! Damn it! I even called you at work and your secretary told me you weren't taking any personal calls!"

"Well, I wasn't!" she protested.

"What if it was an emergency Tomoyo? Would you have at least picked up the phone? Kami-sama (God), I really thought we were over! And, and… And then I saw you at the Ocean's Club having dinner with some guy a couple of weeks ago. Do you know how I felt watching you touch his arm and laughing at whatever he was saying?"

"W-Wh-What? What are you talking about?! Oh God! Jin, that man is my mother's client! He works for Mitsukoshi and I've been meeting with him to promote mother's latest action figures! By God, I was -"

Jin shook his head from the other line and cut her off abruptly.

"It doesn't matter anymore Tomoyo."

"Doesn't matter?! The hell, it doesn't!" Tomoyo exclaimed.

"Nothing can change what has happened. I thought you've moved on and - and so have I." He said.

_I thought you've moved on and so have I. _

_I thought you've moved on and so have I. _

_Moved on… _

_And so have I… _

These words ran through Tomoyo's head making her world spin off course. It can't be! Surely he didn't mean what she thought he did.

"I've met someone else." He paused to take a deep breath. "Actually, you know who she is… You met her last month. Remember Nakamura Chiaki?"

Tomoyo swallowed hard.

"Oh God. I think I'm going to be sick."

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"Tadaima (I'm home)!" Sakura's tired voice echoed through the dark hallway.

Hearing no response, she quickly took off her shoes and went to search for her friend, Tomoyo. She had just come home after spending a very long day at work, and she had been half-hoping for at least an uplifting welcome to ease her mood. At the age of twenty-three, Sakura Kinomoto had already reached her limits. Though she recently graduated from Tokyo University with a degree in biology and chemistry, she was still unable to apply what she has learned in the real world. Her mother died when she was very young and her father was diagnosed with cancer a couple of years ago. It was indeed unfortunate for her to be an only child, for she both had to take care of her sick otou-san (dad) and also the financial burdens of their remaining family. Such events caused Sakura to mature quickly. By the time she got out of high school, she was already working two part-time jobs to make ends meet. She continued to work those same jobs while attending university. However, instead of improving their situation, her continuous efforts are being sucked out by her father's increasing medical bills.

'Nani (What)? That's weird. Tomoyo-chan should be home by now as well.' Sakura thought, confused. 'Kami-sama, is she ditching me again to go out with Jin-san? She bloody well not! She's on kitchen duty tonight! She knows that I can't cook!"

"OI, TOMOYO-CHAN!!! WHERE ARE YOU?" Sakura called out, while poking her head into the kitchen. Seeing nobody there, she continued to look for her friend.

'Honestly, where on earth is she? She promised to make dinner tonight!' Sakura sighed. 'And I was looking forward to a well-cooked meal for a change.'

"I guess it's another quiet night with instant noodles," she grumbled.

She was about to flip on the lights in the living room but quickly drew her hand away when she heard a soft gurgling sound by the corner.

'Someone's _in_ the house! Someone _broke_ into the house! Oh my God, oh my God… A burglar's inside! What am I going to do? And of all nights, Tomoyo's not here.' Sakura gulped in fear. 'W-wait! What if the he's got Tomoyo? What if… What if the maniac did something bad to her? What if she's hurt and bleeding?'

Sakura shook off the mental image of her helpless friend and quietly grabbed an umbrella resting on the wall. 'I knew I should've taken those self-defense lessons that they were offering in school! Kami-sama, please let me live! If you do, I promise that I will never ever ever punch the pervert next door for always trying to take pictures underneath my skirt! I will even give up my obsession of chewing gum! Just please let me live.'

Trembling in fear, Sakura slowly counted to three in her head before letting out a loud yell and charging into the dark room. As she was about to strike the stranger with her umbrella, the person raised their head up and revealed their self as none other than…

"Tomoyo!" Sakura called out in shock.

In return, her friend's eyes began to well up and she let out another strangled sob. Startled by her discomfort, Sakura knelt down and gently took Tomoyo's hand.

"What happened?" Sakura asked directly.

Tomoyo sniffed loudly and just shook her head, unwilling to confide in her.

"'Moyo, what's wrong?" Sakura tried again. "You've got to tell me what happened so I can help you."

"J-J-Jin! He… He dumped me." Tomoyo sobbed. "The bastard d-dumped me…"

"I'm so sorry, 'Moyo." Sakura pulled her in a sympathetic hug, which only caused the latter to cry eyen harder.

"What's worst is that he… hic… he… hic… he left m-m-me for another g-girl."

"He… _what_?!"

"It's that w-woman… N-Nakamura Ch-Chiaki… That p-p-pretty host from Studio 24 who Jin and I m-met at the international, hic, fashion banquet last m-month… I – I knew something w-was going on between those two. At the p-party, Jin k-kept looking at her and she even, hic, went up and introduce her-herself t-to us. What kind of g-girl introduces herself without, hic, a – a common acquaintance?! Hello?! It's not a bar!"

"That jerk! I can't believe he would do this to you!" Sakura said in outrage.

"'Kura, what am I going to d-do? This is going to be all over the, hic, the news for sure. J-Jin's a famous actor! I'm a-an established d-designer and, hic, and the daughter of a w-well known businesswoman! N-Nakamura Chiaki is, hic, an entertainment icon! The press… The press will n-never let it down."

Sakura burned in anger as she listened to Tomoyo's words and rocked her friend back and forth to calm her down.

"This… This is going t-to ruin me, 'Kura." Tomoyo cried desperately. "M-Most of the clothes I d-design portray beauty and r-romance. If I c-can't even, hic, have that in my l-life, what good am I as a d-designer? The media… They're going t-to call me a fraud w-when they see the wedding designs for the w-winter season. I – I… I'm not married. I'm not engaged. And… And, I've j-just been, hic, dumped by m-my famous now ex-boyfriend. W-Women will think it's b-bad luck to w-wear my b-bridal gowns. M-Men will, hic, follow w-what they're women b-believes."

"Don't say that 'Moyo! People love you! I'm sure they'll still buy your clothes even with what has happened!" Sakura reassured her.

"You d-don't understand 'Kura! In this b-business, image is, hic, e-everything! N-Now that my image is r-ruined, the glamour that, hic, that my designs promise… They're g-gone too… It's all gone… All gone… Gone…" Tomoyo let loose another batch of loud tears.

Sakura patted her friend gently on the back. "It's going to be ok, 'Moyo. We'll think of something. I promise you, we'll find a way to control the damage."

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Tomoyo woke up the next day with tired eyes and a harsh migraine. Truth to be told, she wanted to stay curled up in bed forever so that she would never have to face the world. Unfortunately, the calls of her grumbling stomach were harder to resist and she forced herself out of bed to make herself a meal. As she made her way to the kitchen, she was surprised to find Sakura sitting comfortably on the couch, watching television.

"What are you doing here?" she asked her friend. "You're supposed to be at work."

"Yuki, you know, my manager at the salon… She let me have the day off. She said it's a slow day and they have enough people as it is. And I'm not scheduled to work at your mom's office so I'm completely free." Sakura replied before stuffing her mouth with a handful of Cheetos. "By the way, I bought some breakfast from McDonalds. Sorry, I only got sausage and egg mcmuffins. My bank account is running low again this time of the month with all those credit card bills and dad's hospital receipts."

"That's fine." Tomoyo said while grabbing one of the breakfast sandwiches. "And you do know that I can always lend you money if you ever run short."

"No thanks. It's all good; I can scrape by."

"Well, the offer's there if you need it." Tomoyo told her before biting into the mcmuffin.

A moment of companionable silence passed between the two, with Sakura surfing through the channels with the remote control and Tomoyo quietly eating her breakfast. Every now and then, Sakura would glance at her best friend in worry and wonder how she was feeling. Tomoyo noticed this of course but pretended not to so as to avoid any questions she might have about Jin. When Tomoyo got up to throw away the wrapper of her finished sandwich, Sakura finally got enough nerve to broach the sensitive subject of what had happened yesterday.

"'Moyo, about J-"

"Do we have any mail today?" Tomoyo cut her off, knowing what Sakura wanted to talk about.

"Nope. None. Anyways, -" Sakura tried again but was cut off once more.

"Oh really? Well then, what are those over there?" Tomoyo pointed to a stack of letters sitting beside Sakura.

Sakura looked at the direction to which her friend was pointing and cursed herself when she realized that she forgot to hide the letters. Smiling sheepishly, she handed Tomoyo her mail. She decided to let the subject of Jin drop when she sensed her friend's reluctance to talk. Scanning through the pile, Tomoyo realized that most of them were junk mail and threw them out with no hesitation. Since she didn't want to go to work in the first place, Tomoyo decided to play hooky and plopped onto the couch like her friend.

"Any good shows?" Tomoyo asked.

"None." Sakura handed the remote control over to Tomoyo. "Here, why don't you try surfing? You might have better luck than I do."

Tomoyo flipped through the channels and finally rested on the entertainment network. What came on next, however, didn't surprise her but it did make her blood boil.

"_This Just In: famous actor Sato Jin has ended his two year relationship with Daidouji Toy Company heiress and fashion designer, Daidouji Tomoyo. This morning, Mr. Sato's manager announced that the couple decided to move on in separate ways. Mr. Sato is now officially dating Studio 24's talk show host Nakamura Chiaki. When asked about his feelings on the matter, Mr. Sato gave us this comment:_

'_It's too soon to say anything but I just want to say that I'm glad to have Chiaki by my side. At least she notices me in her life. I just wish that Tomoyo could be happy for me.' Jin said._

_What he meant by those last statements are certainly open to speculation. Could it be that their breakup was not a mutual agreement? Is it possible that the seemingly perfect Ms. Daidouji was dumped for a much younger woman? Did Ms. Daidouji emotionally abuse Mr. Sato in their relationship?"_

"That bastard!" Sakura yelled out in anger. "That two-timing low-life! How could he say that about you? Hasn't he been in this business long enough to know the repercussions of what he said?"

"He does know." Tomoyo said calmly. "He said that to make himself look like the victim. He knew that if the public found out that I was dumped for another woman, they would view him as a cold-hearted bastard. The girls will especially hate him for hurting the toy land princess, and they will begin to stop watching his movies. To avoid that any of that, I had to be made as the bad guy."

"That is really twisted!" Sakura said.

"No, that's show business." Tomoyo told her. "Anyway, I don't want to talk about this anymore. Let's just watch the show, ok?"

"Fine." Sakura sighed.

"_In other news, Studio 24 has announced the new bachelor for their upcoming show, 'Are You The One?' According to the producers of the show, Li Syaoran, famous CEO of Li Corporation was chosen as the star of the new reality show. Mr. Li, who ranked number one as the sexiest man alive by Asia! magazine last year was recently connected to a scandal involving supermodel Tanaka Miyu. Two weeks ago, Ms. Tanaka was spotted to be coming in the Sheraton hotel together with Mr. Li who seemed to be holding her. Earlier that night, the two were seen in a passionate embrace at the corporate event held by Mr. Li himself. Ms. Tanaka who is married to entrepreneur, Tanaka Jirou of Akira Ltd, refused to comment on the matter."_

"Li Syaoran again?" Sakura looked at the television incredulously. "Kami-sama, I'm sick of always seeing his face on TV, the papers, and magazines! Can't the press hound someone else?"

"What, someone like me?" Tomoyo raised her eyebrow.

Sakura looked at her friend nervously. "You know, I didn't mean that."

"Relax, Kura. I'm just pulling your leg." Tomoyo said, while grabbing a Cheeto. "Besides, I don't really believe any of those pictures that the tabloids took of Li and Miyu."

"You don't?" Sakura glanced at her questioningly. "But they looked real suspicious to me. Anyway, if you look at Li's playboy history with women and Miyu's dating habits before settling down, I'm pretty sure those two are having an affair. Poor Tanaka-san."

Tomoyo sighed. "I talked to Miyu a couple of days ago at the photo shoot. She said nothing happened."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "She always gives that same excuse after every scandal. I don't know what you see in that girl but she's promiscuous as hell."

"That's mean 'Kura," said Tomoyo. "Why are you so biased against her? Could it be that you're still mad at Miyu for what happened in our second year at university?"

"Oh, please! That was such a long time ago." Sakura denied but bitterly added, "It's not like I still care about Miyu stealing that guy away from me even though he was such a sweetheart in my biology class!"

"I think you still care." Tomoyo sweatdropped when Sakura glared at her. "You know, 'Kura, that guy wasn't dating you in the first place. And technically, you never even talked to him while we were in university."

"We talked!" Sakura said but Tomoyo only gave her a pointed look. "Once. When he dropped his pencil in class, I gave it back to him and he said 'thank you.' My gosh, Tomoyo, he had such a nice voice!"

Tomoyo shook her head. "Sometimes 'Kura, I wonder how we ever became friends."

"Beats me." Sakura shrugged her shoulders. "Anyway, I wonder why Li decided to take part in that show. I mean, he could be with any girl in this day and age! Why be in some silly love contest?"

"I thought you weren't interested in Li."

"I'm not. I'm just curious. Maybe, Li really likes all that attention. Imagine having dozens of girls fawn over you. Must be every man's dream." Sakura said sarcastically.

"Well, in any event, that show's bound to be good for him. Being romantic with so many girls… It might just clear up his playboy image." Tomoyo stated.

Upon hearing what her friend said, Sakura looked at Tomoyo and an idea suddenly sparked in her head.

"Good for the image, huh?"

"That's right. No matter how rakish he may be, the producers will always portray him as a Prince Charming to all single women out there. If not, their ratings will suffer. By the way, Sakura, why do you like you've just won a hundred million yen?" Tomoyo asked when she saw the former grinning maniacally.

"Tomoyo," Sakura began. "I've just thought of the perfect plan! The show's looking for twenty eligible ladies, right?"

"Yes, a flyer came in yesterday about it. But wha–"

"'Moyo! This is perfect! We're getting you on that show!" Sakura told her.

"WHAT?!" Tomoyo exclaimed. "Wait a second! Huh? That's ridiculous! Wha…. I… I thought you disapprove of Li! Why would you want me to join that show and fawn over him?"

"Tomoyo, you said it yourself! The show would be good for Li's reputation, right? If it can help his image, it should work out for your advantage too!"

"I – I…"

"The show starts in mid-December; probably a week after your fashion show. If you're worried about the whole Jin scandal, this would be the perfect way to salvage your pride."

"But… How? I –" Tomoyo tried to cut in but Sakura simply ignored her.

"Think about it! You said that people will no longer appeal to your designs because you don't have the beauty and romance that your clothes promise, right? You said that if you weren't in an intimate relationship, people would think that it's bad luck for them to wear your wedding attires… That whatever's you think is wrong with you might be passed onto them… You also said that in the entertainment world, image is everything!"

"Yes, but…"

"So, if you don't have the right image right now, why don't you do something about it? If you're missing romance, search for it! Show the entire world that you're not a love-fraud in the fashion business… That you're willing to look for love and fight for love in front of millions of people… Tomoyo, this is you're chance! Fight for your reputation!"

"I don't know. I –"

"Besides, Nakamura Chiaki also works at Studio 24. If people see that you can be in the same place as her, they'll disregard the comment Jin made about you being unhappy for them!" Sakura reasoned. "And Jin also works there! You can show that bastard that you're ready to get over him by searching for the right one somewhere else."

Tomoyo sighed as she took in her friend's words. A part of her knew Sakura's plan was outrageous. There were too many factors to consider… Too many elements that would cause such an unreliable plan to fail even before it would begin. For Pete's sake, this wasn't even a well thought out proposal! It might have been just a passing thought! And another thing, who's to say that she would actually be chosen as one of the show's candidates? Or that she would even win! The chances of that happening were very slim, right?

But, _on the other hand_…

Her image was at stake! Her reputation took a nosedive when Jin's manager announced to the public that the star was no longer with her and it became even worst when Jin called her out on being an emotional abuser. Things needed to be turned around and what better way to fight in show business than to do it in show business at the same time? Her missing element was love. She needed it and the show was promising exactly that! Besides, Li Syaoran was a very handsome and successful man. In fact, he's the type of guy every girl would wish to marry except Sakura, who for some reason finds his libertine attitude despicable.

Holding her hands up in defeat, Tomoyo decided,

"Ok, fine. You got me! I'll fill up an application form and bring it to the studio tomorrow."

* * *

**End of Chapter 1**


	2. Mother Knows Best

**Disclaimer: **The author does not own Card Captor Sakura or anything affiliated with it. She only has rights to the plot of the story and its AU characters.

**Summary:** Famous fashion designer and Daidouji Toy Company heiress, Daidouji Tomoyo, has just been dumped by her actor ex-boyfriend. What's worst, he called Tomoyo an emotional abuser in front of millions of Japanese people. To soften the blow to her reputation, Tomoyo's best friend, Kinomoto Sakura, hatched a plan for Tomoyo to appear in a new reality show "Are You The One?" and hoped that the former would make a great comeback out of it. All seemed fine at the beginning, but trouble ensues when Sakura catches Li Syaoran, the bachelor of the show's, attention instead. To make matters complicated, Sakura's resistance against his charms also deteriorate over the course of the show. Will she finally succumb to the passion that Li's kisses promise or will she stay true to her friend who has been with her since childhood?

* * *

**Say That You Love Me**

**Chapter 2: Mother Knows Best**

* * *

Li Syaoran casually sat on his leather office chair and waited patiently for his mother to finish her diatribe. Currently, she was lecturing him on some picture that a Japanese tabloid took a couple of nights ago. Words like "immoral" and "capricious" escaped her mouth but Syaoran paid no heed to them. He simply tapped his gold fountain pen on the desk and looked at his mother with a bored expression. Noticing that her son wasn't paying any attention to her, Li Yelan threw a rolled up magazine and aimed at his forehead. 

"OUCH! MOTHER!" Syaoran exclaimed.

"I hate it when you don't listen to me Xiao Lang!" Yelan said as she strolled over to the counter and poured herself a glass of water. "Do you know what kind of mess you've gotten yourself in? Do you realize just how serious the problem is?"

"Mother, I hardly think –" Syaoran began but was cut off by Yelan.

"That's just it Xiao Lang! You don't think!" Yelan yelled at him. "Look at that magazine! Read what it says."

Syaoran already knew what the paper said. In fact, he saw it yesterday so he was prepared to have this type of confrontation with his mother.

"Xiao Lang! I can't believe you would go so far as to sleep with the wife of our business partner! Last year, I excused your behavior when the tabloids reported that you were dating two women at the same time. But this! This! This is unacceptable!"

"Mother –"

"Don't interrupt me!" Yelan glared at her son. "Tanaka Jirou is an important investor of Li Corporation. He is part of our board of directors as am I to Akira Ltd. How do you think he's going to react when he sees this? No, disregard what I just said. The man has already seen it and has demanded some answers from me! In fact, the entire board of directors wants you to explain yourself!"

"If I knew that the paparazzi were onto us, I would never have escorted Mrs. Tanaka to her hotel." Syaoran said in a strained voice.

Yelan sighed. "I can't believe how irresponsible you were Xiao Lang! And just so you know, Mr. Tanaka has threatened to back out of any future ventures with us. He also said that the only way to excuse your actions would be for me to sign over more shares of our company to him."

"That bastard! Don't tell me you agreed to his terms!" Syaoran looked at his mother worriedly.

"Don't be stupid!" Yelan buried her face in his hands. "You know that I took care of Li Corporation when your father died. If I made idiotic decisions such as yielding to every demand that our partners stipulate, I would've ruined this company a long time ago."

Syaoran breathed a sigh of relief. "So what did you tell Tanaka?"

"The same thing I said to you." Yelan stated matter-of-factly. "I told him not to be an idiot. I pointed out to him that his wife is also at fault for this entire debacle and that he should watch over her more closely. I also told him that if he can't accept your behavior, he should pull out of being Li Corp's partner. Of course, I reminded him that Akira Ltd. is a lot smaller than our company and that it would suffer more damages if it chose to cut its ties from us."

Syaoran glanced at his mother's tired form and quietly said, "Thank you."

"You know I love you, Xiao Lang. Despite the fact that I seriously detest your rakish ways, you are my only son and I would do anything for you. I hope you know that."

"I do, Mother. I really do and I appreciate all that you've done for me." Syaoran told her truthfully but was startled to find Yelan looking at him guiltily in return.

"Xiao Lang," she began slowly. "I've talked to your cousin Mei Ling about what we should with all this negative publicity, and she's found a solution to control it."

"That's great," said Syaoran.

Yelan twisted her hand nervously as she continued on. "You're not going to like this. But you have no choice in the matter. And I'm putting my foot down on this, Xiao Lang. You won't be changing my mind."

Syaoran stared at his mother apprehensively.

"What won't I like?" he asked.

"You're cousin instructed the PR (public relations) department to call up Studio 24. We've agreed to let them use you as the new bachelor for their show."

"You and Mei Ling did _WHAT_?!" Syaoran growled, rising from his seat. He was about to press the intercom button and instruct his secretary to bring his cousin into the office when his mother arrested his actions.

"Hear me out, Xiao Lang," she said. "The show will benefit you and the company both. When the public sees that you're planning to get serious with a woman, our partners and other potential investors out there won't have to worry about making deals with us! They won't agonize over you stealing their wives anymore."

"Are you trying to reason with me or insult me even more?" Syaoran shrugged his mother's hand off angrily.

Knowing that her son will not be pacified, Yelan told him sternly, " Listen to me Li Xiao Lang… One way or another, you will lose that playboy attitude of yours! I do not want a repeat of this scandal. I will not have another partner threatening their relationship with us because my son is a libertine."

"You –"

"What's more, I really want you to finally settle down! You're twenty-nine-years-old… Old enough to get married and have children! I've already passed half my lifetime. I do not want to see the Li line ending with just you!"

"You… You're unbelievable!" Syaoran shook his head incredulously. "And I suppose you'd tell me next that I don't have any choice in this matter!"

"That's right. You don't. You can't refuse because if you do, I will take away your inheritance. I will pass the ownership of Li Corporation to one of your cousins instead and I know how much this company means to you!"

Syaoran slapped the desk hard with his hands; his eyes turning a deeper shade of amber as he glowered viciously at his mother.

"Damn it!" he cursed. "You can't do this! You're not being fair! Who asked you to act like God and play with people's emotions?!"

"I'm not playing with your emotions, Xiao Lang." Yelan said. "I am only doing what's best for you."

* * *

"I can't believe _that woman_! I can't believe she would do this to me! ME! Her only son!" Syaoran slammed the door of his Mercedes Benz hard. His cousin and long-time friend Hiiragizawa Eriol got out of the other passenger side and only laughed harder at Syaoran's discomfort. 

"I've got to hand it to Auntie Yelan. She sure does know how to give out her punishments." Eriol said, walking in the same direction as Syaoran.

Syaoran growled in anger. "It's not just _her_. Our dear cousin, _Mei Ling_, was on this scheme too!"

Eriol doubled up in laughter. "AHAHAHA! Only Mei Ling could think of something so ludicrous!"

"I don't see what's so funny about all of this!" Syaoran looked at his cousin in disgust. The latter only shook in hilarity even more. "Quit being an ass Eriol and take this seriously! I'm screwed if I marry one of those fanatics on the show! Who knows what will happen?! I might just end up with some gold-digger!"

"Relax Syaoran. I don't think you have to marry any of them." Eriol chuckled, which only earned him a hard-core glare.

"Have you read the show's outline?" Syaoran asked his cousin tersely. "The finale involves a grand wedding!"

Eriol stopped in his tracks and stared at him in surprise. "You can't be serious?"

"Does it look like I'm kidding?!"

Sighing, Syaoran pushed open the glass doors of Studio 24 and was startled to find an entire production crew waiting for him in the lobby.

"Welcome Mr. Li!" The director of the show approached him and offered Syaoran his hand. "We're so glad you've decided to join our team! We promise we'll make it worth your while!"

Syaoran smiled forcibly and shook the other man's hand.

"It's my pleasure." He lied through his teeth and was about to say more when he suddenly caught sight of someone familiar standing in the corner. Excusing himself from the eager director, Syaoran (with Eriol in tow) quickly made his way to the beautiful stranger.

"You bitch!" he hissed underneath his breath when he neared the woman.

The latter only grinned and offered Syaoran her cheek for a perfunctory kiss. "Why cousin, you should know better than to use such foul language in front of a lady. You might drive all those women away."

"You're no lady, Mei Ling," grunted Syaoran but kissed her cheek nonetheless. "You're a backstabbing, evil schemer."

Mei Ling said nothing about his last remark and merely turned away from him to greet her other cousin.

"Chaperoning today, Eriol?" Mei Ling asked as she offered him both of her hands. Eriol took them and quickly pecked her on the cheek.

"Unfortunately, yes. Auntie wanted to make sure that our dear cousin didn't escape and fly off to Siberia." He replied with a teasing tone aimed at Syaoran.

The latter fumed. "Hiiragizawa! You were in on this too?!"

"Not since this morning." Eriol told him cheerfully. "Anyway… Mei Ling, doesn't the show start in two hours? Shouldn't we head on down to hair and make-up?"

"You're right." Mei Ling nodded and then mischievously added, "Besides, we'll need to wipe that ugly look off of Syaoran's face! Girls find frown lines a turn off, you know!"

Syaoran didn't say anything but he did glare daggers at their backs while following his two cousins reluctantly.

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"Sakura, we're going to be late! Can't you drive any faster?" Tomoyo said in a panic.

Sakura glanced at her friend in disbelief. "Whose fault was that? Who couldn't decide what to wear until the very last minute?"

Tomoyo blushed. "I know! I know! I'm sorry! But please, just find a way to get out of this traffic!"

"Easier said than done." Sakura sighed. "It's rush hour! It'll take us ten more minutes before we can reach the station."

Tomoyo groaned, looking out of the window in dismay.

"And I wanted to make a good impression too." She mumbled watching all the stationary vehicles.

Tapping her hands on the steering wheel, Sakura voiced out her thoughts in irritation. "I don't even know why I have to come all the way out there with you! This is such a waste of my time! I'm not even part of the show!"

Tomoyo sweatdropped and smiled at her friend nervously.

'Uh-oh. I guess 'Kura's still pretty mad at me for asking her to take a leave of absence from work,' she thought.

"But Sakura, I need you there with me for moral support!" Tomoyo gave her the puppy look. "Other than 'Ka-san (mother), you're the only one whom I can actually trust to tell me if I'm making a fool out of myself in front of all those cameras!"

Sakura rolled her eyes on the last statement but found her exasperation wavering little by little. Thinking about it logically now, she did owe Tomoyo to be with her at the station. After all, it was her who came up with the idea of joining the reality show in the first place.

"So long as you don't forget you're promise Tomoyo!" Sakura grunted in defeat.

"Hai (Yes)! Hai (Yes)!" Tomoyo said happily. "Don't worry! I'll even double whatever they're paying you at work."

Sakura signaled for the car to turn right and smoothly entered the crowded parking lot of Studio 24. It took a few minutes before she actually found a parking space but as soon as she parked the car, Tomoyo bounded out and ran into the building without saying a word. Shaking her head, Sakura followed her friend in the same direction.

"I thought she hated these types of show." Sakura mumbled. "Why the hell is she so excited about all of this then?"

Looking around her surroundings, Sakura realized that she didn't know where to go at all. What's worst, she lost sight of Tomoyo the moment she entered the building.

'Great!' Sakura thought. 'Just perfect!'

"Ano! Excuse me?" Sakura tapped the shoulder of an elegant looking lady. "I'm sorry to bother you but do you happen to know where the contestants go for that new show, 'Are You The One'?"

The lady looked at Sakura up and down, and grinned in delight. "Kawaii!"

Sakura blinked her eyes in confusion and looked behind her to see what the other woman was talking about. This only caused the latter to laugh out loud.

"Silly girl," she said. "The other contestants are already in the hair and make-up room. Just take the elevator to the fifth floor, go down the east hall and look for the seventh door to the left. You can't miss it. There's a big sign outside."

"Ahh, arigatou (thank you)!"

Sakura bowed her head politely and quickly made her way to where she presumed Tomoyo was. As soon as she entered the elevator, a man with midnight blue hair and azure eyes approached the lady that Sakura was just speaking to.

"Hey, Mei Ling, do you know who that girl is?" he asked.

"I think it's one of the contestants, Eriol. She came in late and didn't know where she was supposed to go. So I told her the directions to the hair and make-up room we just came out of." Mei Ling said. "Anyway, I like her. She was very polite and she seemed like such an innocent girl."

"One of the contestants?" Eriol looked at his cousin worriedly.

"Yes, I think so." Mei Ling raised her eyebrow. "Hey! Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Mei Ling, the contestants hair and make-up room is on this floor at the north hall! It's separate from Syaoran's!" Eriol told her before rushing after Sakura.

It took a few moments before Eriol's words registered into her head and once they did, Mei Ling took off after her cousin as well.

"Crap! Syaoran's going to kill me! I can't believe I gave her the directions to his personal room!"

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Sakura entered the room she was instructed to go to and was surprised to find nobody there. She had been expecting to find a crowd of girls hustling and bustling everywhere but not a single person met her sight.

"I guess the show already started and everyone's been taken outside for taping." Sakura concluded, shrugging the oddness of the situation off.

Dropping her make-up equipment by the chair near what she thought was the closet door; Sakura took out the blow dryer and curling iron she needed to use for Tomoyo's hair. As she was about to plug them in, a male figure quietly came out of the same door and was very much shocked to find a strange woman bending down near it.

"What the –" he began but cringed when Sakura let out a piercing scream.

The moment she heard a deep low voice behind her, Sakura let go of the hair equipment and slowly turned around. She wasn't prepared for what she saw next, however, because at that moment a dripping wet man covered only by a short white towel stood in her line of vision.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Sakura shrieked, while scrambling away from the closet door. "WHA-WHAT… AHHHHHHHHHH!"

"WAIT!" In an attempt to calm her down, the man tried to reach for her. Unfortunately, his right foot was caught by Sakura's make-up bag and he ended up toppling on top of her instead.

Sakura's eyes widened and she was rendered speechless when the man landed on such a close proximity to her. She blushed, unable to believe that such a thing happened. Gulping down her fear, she looked up at the stranger and was met by an intense pair of amber eyes and an Adonis-looking face. She tried to say something but found that she couldn't find the words.

'Suteki…' she thought mesmerized, completely forgetting about her worries. 'I've never seen such a beautiful looking man.'

She was about to reach up and trace his soft lips with her fingers but stopped when she suddenly felt something strange on her chest.

'Nani?'

Snapping out of her trancelike state, she slowly glanced down and saw that the man's hand was suspiciously holding her breast. Sakura turned a deeper shade of red and quickly summoned all of her strength in her right hand.

"You," she began, trembling in anger.

The man stared down at her questioningly.

"Yeah?" he called in a slightly breathless voice.

"YOU PERVERT!" Sakura yelled out loud and slapped him with all of her might just as Hiiragizawa Eriol and Li Mei Ling opened the door.

* * *

**End of Chapter 2**

**Authors Note: **Chapter 2 was finished rather quickly. As you can see, Sakura doesn't recognize that the stranger with her was actually Syaoran. It just goes to show that how people look in front of the camera are completely different when you see them in person. In Syaoran's case, he looks even more gorgeous . Also the truth about the scandal between Tanaka Miyu and Syaoran is revealed in this chapter. Syaoran did sleep with her that night but Miyu denied it when Tomoyo asked her. Notice how Tomoyo trusts others way too easily; it's a trait, which can hurt her in the end. Anyway, thank you to all those who read and reviewed the first chapter. All your encouragement was very much appreciated.


	3. An Unspoken Attraction

**Disclaimer: **The author does not own Card Captor Sakura or anything affiliated with it. She only has rights to the plot of the story and its AU characters.

**Summary:** Famous fashion designer and Daidouji Toy Company heiress, Daidouji Tomoyo, has just been dumped by her actor ex-boyfriend. What's worst, he called Tomoyo an emotional abuser in front of millions of Japanese people. To soften the blow to her reputation, Tomoyo's best friend, Kinomoto Sakura, hatched a plan for Tomoyo to appear in a new reality show "Are You The One?" and hoped that the former would make a great comeback out of it. All seemed fine at the beginning, but trouble ensues when Sakura catches Li Syaoran, the bachelor of the show's, attention instead. To make matters complicated, Sakura's resistance against his charms also deteriorate over the course of the show. Will she finally succumb to the passion that Li's kisses promise or will she stay true to her friend who has been with her since childhood?

* * *

**Say That You Love Me**

**Chapter 3: An Unspoken Attraction**

* * *

From the mirror opposite him, Li Syaoran watched as the pretty girl (who had earlier slapped him for no apparent reason) applied an ice pack to his slightly red cheek. She hadn't made a sound since the embarrassing event but he could tell that she was very nervous from her trembling hands.

"I'm so sorry, Miss! This is my entire fault! I didn't mean to give you the wrong directions! I'm so stupid! Gomen nasai (I'm sorry)!" Mei Ling kneeled down from behind them and bowed profusely. "Honto ni gomen nasai (I am so sorry)!"

The girl shook her head and blushed at the attention.

"It's okay. I, ummm… It's fine." She squeaked out.

Looking at her closely, Syaoran noted that the woman appeared rather young from a general perspective. He guessed that she was probably no more than eighteen-years-old… A high school student perhaps or just a recent graduate…

'She's a child for Pete's sake!' he told himself, disgusted. "She's not even legal!"

Truth to be told, the young girl captivated Syaoran's attention ever since he fell on top of her. He thought that she was the most angelic thing in this entire world. "Beautiful," he had said to himself when he got close enough to see her face. It was especially her emerald green eyes that drew him in. Those innocent pools of liquid; they were enough to seduce a saint straight out of heaven. If that wasn't enough, Syaoran nearly lost himself when he caught sight of her pink lips. Her mouth; it had looked so sweet and tempting… Had she not smacked him the moment she did, Syaoran was sure he would have bent down and captured that soft pound of flesh with his own.

"Ouch," he winced back into reality when he felt the girl's fingertips touch his cheek.

"S-Sorry," she stammered.

From the corner of the room, Eriol watched the entire scene in distaste. He saw the way Syaoran was looking at the young woman and judging by his cousin's past records with women, he couldn't help but wonder just what exactly happened between the two. Clicking his tongue in disapproval, Eriol approached the pair to announce his presence.

"I do believe we haven't caught your name, Miss?" he asked her politely.

"Ah!" The young woman exclaimed and bowed her head. "G-Gomen (sorry)! I didn't mean to be impolite! My name is Kinomoto Sakura. But, you can call me Sakura for short."

"Pleased to meet you, Ms. Kinomoto." Eriol said but did not grant her the same courtesy of offering his name. "Aren't you worried? The show begins in fifteen minutes and I'm sure the other contestants are all ready by now. Wouldn't you like to prepare yourself as well? I mean, you don't want others to outshine you now, do you?"

Sakura, in return, only looked at him as though he had suddenly grown two heads.

"Why would I want to do that? It's not like I'm part of the show anyway." She told him in a laughing voice.

"You're not?!" Mei Ling and Syaoran both spoke in unison.

The other three parties in the room looked at Syaoran oddly and the latter, noticing that he had let his composure slip, hid his disappointment with a cough.

"I mean, do you work for Studio 24 then, Ms. Kinomoto?" Syaoran asked, clearing his throat.

"Oh, no. I'm just here to do hair and make-up for my friend. She's one of the contestants, you see." Sakura explained as she continued to dab ice on his cheek gently.

"Is that so?" Syaoran looked at her curiously. He was about to say more but Eriol suddenly cut him off.

"Well, whatever your reasons are for being here Ms. Kinomoto, it sill doesn't change the fact that we need to take care of this dressing room incident." Eriol stated rather unexpectedly. "I'm sure that whatever happened between you and Syaoran here must have been very distressing on your part. However, if word gets out about any of this, the press will surely have a field day."

Not following what he was implying, Sakura abruptly stopped tending to Syaoran and focused on the other man instead.

"I beg your pardon?" she asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Let's cut to chase, shall we?" Eriol stared at her hard. "You were found in a compromising position with Li Syaoran, CEO of Li Corp. Because his name is quite famous, the tabloids are always interested in his every move. If they were to find out the nasties he may have done to you in this room, it could potentially ruin his reputation. Had you been a contestant, it would've been easier to deal with this whole thing by simply securing your safety for the first five eliminations. However, that is not the case. As you have just told us, you are not part of the show. Therefore, I've come up with another solution to make things less complicated. I'm willing to offer two hundred thousand yen to silence you on the matter."

"ERIOL!" Syaoran called out sharply. His eyes narrowed on the aforementioned person and warned him not to continue. His cousin, however, paid no heed.

"Well Ms. Kinomoto? Should I make the check out to a Miss or perhaps Mrs.?"

Sakura's jaw dropped in shock, as she finally understood what the man called "Eriol" meant. From the gist of it, he had just labeled her a "gold-digger" without actually using the term itself. 'The nerve of this guy!' She thought, fuming inside. How can he make judgments so carelessly when he didn't even know her at all? She wasn't the type of person he was making her out to be at; she would never ever make money off of people's expense! Her parents raised her better than that, for crying out loud!

Sakura mentally counted to three before answering him. Once she calmed down a little, she raised her head up proudly and looked at Eriol straight in the eye.

"You can keep your money Mr. Eriol," she told him evenly. "I assure you, I won't be breathing a word about any of this to the press."

Eriol quickly searched for any signs of deception on the young woman's face and he was surprised to find none. 'She'd make a great actress,' he thought, appalled. 'The girl sure does know how to lie.'

"I'll be counting on you then, Ms. Kinomoto." He said out loud while placing his checkbook back into his coat packet. "But rest assured; if there is a leak, we will not hesitate to take you in court and file assault charges against you."

Sakura looked at him in disbelief and was about to tell him to go to hell when Syaoran interjected on her behalf.

"That is enough Eriol!" Syaoran warned his cousin again in a dangerously low voice. "Not one more word, so help me God."

Eriol noticed the deadly expression on the other man's face and wisely kept his mouth shut. Shaking his head in dismay, Syaoran turned around to apologize to Sakura but was startled to learn that she had already left the room.

"DAMN IT!" he yelled, chasing after her and leaving his two bewildered cousins behind.

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"What the hell was that all about, Eriol?" Mei Ling demanded from her cousin angrily. "Why did you do that? You jerk!"

Eriol merely shrugged her insult off and calmly said, "I did what was necessary."

"Necessary?" Mei Ling exclaimed incredulously. "You just threatened an innocent girl for being in Syaoran's room! She didn't do anything wrong! And, by the way, it was my fault she ended up here in the first place!"

"Innocent?! Hah!" Eriol spat the word out in derision. "Are you blind? Did you see just how close she was to Syaoran when we entered the room?"

"Syaoran already told us that he fell on top of her by accident!" she said, while picking up the melting ice pack from the counter and throwing it out into the trash.

"And you believed him?" Eriol rounded on his cousin. "Mei Ling, you should know him well enough to realize that there are no accidents in his dictionary. In fact, I'm willing to bet my ass that Syaoran seduced her and that girl unwittingly fell for it! We probably interrupted a private moment between those two!"

"And just what makes you so sure? Huh, 'Cuz?" she asked, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

Eriol looked at her seriously.

"I know how these types of girls work, Mei Ling. They have hidden agendas. One minute, they act all nice and sweet in front of you. But the moment they sniff out where the money is, they're quick to shed their skins and reveal their true colors. Women like Kinomoto are ugly, vicious creatures who would do anything to get a piece of fortune. And in case you haven't noticed, Syaoran has a lot of that said fortune. Did you honestly expect me to just stand there and let that girl walk out of here without saying anything? What if, the next day, she decided to talk to the tabloids and tell them ridiculous stories about what went down between her and Syaoran in this room? Honestly, Mei Ling! Use your common sense!"

"You… You're unbelievable!"

"No, what I am is being cautious." Eriol told her succinctly. "Do you really want to know why Auntie Yelan asked me to come here to the studio with Syaoran today? Huh? It's because she was afraid that our dear cousin would make another scandal out of this. She couldn't take the chance of Syaoran being irresponsible again! If word gets out the he's fooling around with other girls while being on the show, our company's partners are bound to break their deals with us."

"The day those pictures of Syaoran and Miyu-san came out, Auntie Yelan and I had to attend an emergency boardroom conference. Syaoran wasn't there. He couldn't come because nobody told him about it. On that same meeting, the majority of the directors had planned to secretly vote him off as the chief executive officer of the company!" Eriol confided to his cousin angrily. "They said that Syaoran's lecherous attitude was destroying our relationship with our clients. They also told us that if things were to continue, Syaoran would be nothing more than an inconvenience to the corporation. God! Do you have any idea how hard Auntie worked to convince them that Syaoran was a valuable asset to the company? She promised them that he would change once he becomes serious with a girl! And damn it all, I will not let this last chance be ruined by the likes of some silly commoner! Besides, this whole thing was your ridiculous idea anyway!"

Mei Ling pinched the bridge of her nose together. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine just how serious the problem was. When Yelan had asked for her help regarding the Miyu scandal, Mei Ling suggested for Syaoran to take part in a dating show to soften his playboy image. She hadn't meant for the advice to be taken seriously. She merely proposed it to teach her cousin a lesson, to show him that women were not meant for this world as objects. They were human beings who have feelings too…

"Eriol, I understand that Syaoran being on this show is important. His reputation depends on it after all," she began. "But still! It doesn't give you the right to do what you just did! No matter how you look at it, you were in the wrong for being rude to Ms. Kinomoto. Kami-sama, you accused her of being a gold-digger when you don't even know what kind of person she is!"

"I was trying to protect our cousin." Eriol coolly defended himself.

"I get that! I really do!" Mei Ling told him empathically. "But couldn't you have done it in a nicer way? You didn't have to be such a snob about it!"

"I'm not a snob," he protested.

"Oh yeah? So what do you call someone who likes to intimidate those who are inferior to him?" Mei Ling raised her eyebrow. "Seriously, Eriol, when did you start your women-hating campaign anyway? If I recall, you had as many as girlfriends as Syaoran back in university."

Eriol turned his back and refused to respond to the sudden turn of conversation.

"You're still bothered by it, aren't you?" she asked him quietly, dawning in a sad realization. "All this negative publicity… It must bring back a lot of memories."

Mei Ling looked at his cousin and shook her head when she saw him clenching his fist.

"I saw Uncle Tsuyoshi last week," she said. "He's here in Tokyo right now. Do you… Aren't you going to visit him?"

Eriol smiled bitterly upon hearing the familiar name. _Tsuyoshi_… He'd really got to hand it to Mei Ling, bringing up such a sensitive subject to his face!

"Che! The old man's still alive then?" he commented resentfully.

"Eriol, Uncle is-" Mei Ling attempted to say but quickly closed her mouth shut when she saw the way her cousin was glaring darkly at her.

"Mei Ling, if you know what's best for you, you will allow me to end to this discussion. I don't want or need you to bring it up ever again." He told her dangerously before walking out and slamming the door of Syaoran's dressing room behind him.

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"Ms. Kinomoto! Kinomoto-san! Matte (wait)!"

Sakura heard someone calling her from behind but forced herself to ignore it. She was still pretty miffed at what that jerk Mr. Eriol said about her. To think, she was actually civil with him in the beginning! How dare he degrade her by comparing her to a money-grabbing wrench!

'That arrogant bastard,' she thought viciously. 'If I ever see him again, he'll seriously get it from me! He's lucky Tomoyo's in the show or else I would have handled him a long time ago!"

She gritted her teeth when she remembered the smug look on Eriol's face as he attempted to buy her silence off. To be honest, she wasn't even sure why he was trying to pay her. It's not as though anything incriminating happened between her and Li. And who the hell did he think he was, bringing up assault charges all of a sudden? She had a good reason to slap Li after he had groped her! Any judge would surely rule in favor of her womanly instincts!

"Men like Mr. Eriol should just drop dead!" Sakura muttered.

As she was about to turn a corner, a hand suddenly grabbed her arm in a vice-like grip and whirled her around.

'What the –?'

Sakura's eyes widened in shock as she found herself face-to-face with a very serious looking Li Syaoran.

"I called you five times but you kept walking away. Didn't anybody tell you it's disrespectful to snub someone?" Syaoran asked her coolly.

Sakura blushed at the reprimand and tried to shrug his hand off. In return, Syaoran held onto her firmly.

"And hasn't anybody mentioned to you Li-san that it's considered rude to touch strangers you've just met so casually?" Sakura told him, annoyed.

Unfazed, Syaoran looked at the auburn haired girl in front of him and stared at her hard. For someone who had just been verbally attacked, she managed to stand her own ground. He was seriously amazed to find such spirit in her. If Eriol had said those same words to any other woman, Syaoran was sure they would've cried on the spot. But no… Not this angel of his… Instead, she was glaring at him with the same pair of intense emerald eyes just as she had done to his friend.

"You have a death wish or something?" Sakura growled when he gripped her arm tighter. "Let go, will you! You're hurting me!"

Sakura's voice snapped Syaoran out his reverie and he quickly released his grip. Sakura, in return, frowned as she gently massaged her sore arm. For some reason, her heart began to beat faster when he stared at her a moment ago.

"What do you want anyway?" she asked, feeling uncomfortable with his continued silence.

Mildly taken aback by her direct attitude, Li Syaoran smiled at the young woman charmingly to relax the situation.

"I felt… I mean, I feel rather bad about what happened back in the dressing room and I just wanted to apologize," he told her. "My cousin Eriol… He… He's usually not like that. I don't know what came over him."

Sakura looked at him, stunned.

"They're cousins," she mumbled under her breath. "I shouldn't be surprised. This guy right here's a hentai (pervert)! And that Eriol-san's a jerk! Yeah, no doubt about it! They should come from the same family tree."

"I'm sorry, what was that Ms. Kinomoto?" Syaoran raised his eyebrow in question.

"Ah," Sakura waved her hands nervously. "It's nothing! I just didn't expect the two of you to be related."

Syaoran stared at her and noticed her face turning strangely red.

"Are you alright Miss?" he asked, reaching out.

"Hai (yes)! I – I'm fine." Sakura blushed harder when she felt him gently touch her hand.

"You don't look well. Maybe I should bring you to the clinic." Syaoran suggested in worry.

Sakura shook her head no adamantly. "I'm ok! Really, I'm fine! I just need to find my friend."

Syaoran sighed. Kami-sama, this young woman was stubborn!

"If you insist," he said. "But allow me to escort you there. It's the least I could do."

Sakura was about to protest; she wasn't entirely sure if being with Li Syaoran was safe. He was a world-class player for crying out loud! Who knows what he'll do to her when they're alone together? And to make matters worst, being near him gave her heart palpitations! Sakura concluded that the reaction must have sprouted out of fear from being sexually harassed by him.

Sakura began to open her mouth in declination but gaped in disbelief when she suddenly found her self stuck in the elevator with Li.

'What the hell?' she thought, wrinkling her forehead. "Do people always do what you tell them?"

Syaoran ran his hand through his messy hair. "Heh! I wish!"

After a short pause, he asked, "How about you? Are you really the same Kinomoto-san I just met?"

Sakura looked at him, confused. "Nani?"

"You were so polite back in the dressing room. But whenever you find yourself alone with me, you turn into a completely different person." Syaoran pointed out.

"I – I never noticed." Sakura told him truthfully.

Syaoran leaned against the wall and watched as the elevator lights slowly changed floors.

"I didn't think you did. Anyway, aren't your parents worried? It's a school night after all." He tossed her a grin. "I know your friend's here and you want to support her but it's getting rather late. Don't tell me you're rebelling against your curfew now, little girl?"

"Little girl?!" Sakura made a face. She knew she had been cursed with baby features but it's not as though she could help it. "For your information Mr. Li, I happen to be an adult like yourself! I'm twenty-three-years old! Twenty-three!"

Seeing her stand there and announce her age so boldly, Syaoran glanced at Sakura in surprise and suddenly laughed out loud. This girl was certainly different from the other women he's met! And surprisingly, he found the change rather refreshing.

"And what may I ask is so funny?" she asked him in a strained voice.

"You!" he snickered. "A-And that face of yours!"

Sakura turned beat red and looked down at her dirty running shoes. This jerk! Was he laughing at her because she wasn't sexy or attractive like the models he dated?

"Well sorry for being born ugly!" she said sarcastically.

Hearing the insecure tone in her words, Syaoran immediately quieted his amusement down and crossed over to where she stood. He realized that his actions earlier had somehow hurt her even though she was tried to look indifferent. Reaching his hand out, Syaoran tipped the woman's head up to face him.

"You misunderstand me, Sakura." He said, using her first name intimately. "I didn't laugh because I thought you were ugly. No… That's far from it…"

Pushing a loose strand of hair away from her face, Syaoran continued, "Do you know what my first thoughts were when I first laid my eyes on you? Sakura… I thought you were beautiful… I thought you were the most exquisite thing in this world."

Sakura mouth slightly opened in shock. This man… She felt her heart race as Syaoran's hot breath tickled her cheek. With him in such close proximity, she found that she couldn't think straight. All she was able do was stare into his mesmerizing eyes. Those amber orbs of his… It was as though they were strongly pulling her in.

Likewise, Syaoran also found himself hypnotized. He, once again, lost his entire being to Sakura's beauty.

'Kirei,' he thought, placing his hands around her waist. He knew that they had just met, but holding her the way he was doing right now… It just felt so right… _She_ felt so right… Bending his head down, Syaoran leaned in closer.

Unfortunately, the magical moment was interrupted when elevator bells chimed, bringing them back to reality.

"We're here, Ms. Kinomoto." He whispered softly in her ear.

Sakura pulled herself out of her daze and watched as Syaoran calmly stepped away from her. He didn't look back nor did he say anything else after that. He simply left her in the elevator feeling weak in the knees.

* * *

**End of Chapter 3**

**Authors Note: **Eriol comes off as a real jerk here. A complete turnaround from his character in Chapter 2… But as explained, it's all within reason! After all those damaging scandals that Syaoran faced in the past, Eriol feels the need to protect his cousin. He's only trying to be responsible by keeping a tight leash on the careless Syaoran. Also there's that the whole thing with the so-called Uncle Tsuyoshi. As Mei Ling had mentioned before, Eriol wasn't originally a snob especially to women. In fact, he was just as bad as Syaoran when they were younger.

Also note Eriol's opinion on the dating show. Through his conversation with Mei Ling, it was revealed that he finds the whole thing ridiculous. However, he knows that it is also beneficial for his cousin's reputation. Besides, it's not as though he expects his cousin to actually settle down with any of the contestants. As far as he was concerned, Syaoran being on the show is strictly for business, which is why he didn't take the whole thing seriously in Chapter 2. In fact, he even laughed at his cousin for being stuck with what he called Yelan's punishment.

Finally, we see some S+S action in the end. The passion between them just sizzles when they're left alone together!

For my last few words, I want to say thank you to those who reviewed and added this story to their favourite list. Your support means a lot to me.


	4. Waves of Confusion

**Disclaimer: **The author does not own Card Captor Sakura or anything affiliated with it. She only has rights to the plot of the story and its AU characters.

**Summary:** Famous fashion designer and Daidouji Toy Company heiress, Daidouji Tomoyo, has just been dumped by her actor ex-boyfriend. What's worst, he called Tomoyo an emotional abuser in front of millions of Japanese people. To soften the blow to her reputation, Tomoyo's best friend, Kinomoto Sakura, hatched a plan for Tomoyo to appear in a new reality show "Are You The One?" and hoped that the former would make a great comeback out of it. All seemed fine at the beginning, but trouble ensues when Sakura catches Li Syaoran, the bachelor of the show's, attention instead. To make matters complicated, Sakura's resistance against his charms also deteriorate over the course of the show. Will she finally succumb to the passion that Li's kisses promise or will she stay true to her friend who has been with her since childhood?

* * *

**Say That You Love Me**

**Chapter 4: Waves of Confusion**

* * *

Eriol leaned against the brick wall outside of Studio 24 and sighed. He couldn't believe that after all these years, the name Tsuyoshi still made his blood boil. How long has it been since he thought about that old man anyway? 

"Che! Eight years," he said to himself. "Eight long years. Amazing how fast time goes by…"

Putting a cigarette between his lips, Eriol fished out his lighter and cupped his hands around the flame to protect it from the cool breeze. 'What was that piece of vermin doing here in Tokyo anyway?' he thought, while taking a long drag. The last time he'd seen Tsuyoshi was when he was only twenty-one-years old. Eriol could still vividly recall that fateful day… The day in which his father, _Hiiragizawa_ Tsuyoshi, walked out on their family.

'Traitorous son-of-a-bitch.' Eriol muttered under his breath.

Eight years ago, the Hiiragizawa name was very much well known for its booming influence in the shipping industry. At the time, many foreign and local companies preferred to deal with the Hiiragizawas because of their efficient services and fair business approach. It probably also helped that the family was socially connected to the powerful Li Clan. After all, Eriol's mother, Hiiragizawa Reina, was the beloved and only sister of Li Sheng who in turn was Syaoran's father.

But like many other things, fame was a double-edged sword. Sure it brought one much success, but to Eriol, all the illustriousness ever did was cause him a whole lot of misery. Funny… He could still remember how relentless the public could be when you're under the spotlight; how everyone hounded on you like a pack of dogs and was particularly interested in the little moves you made. The lights from cameras flashed at every hidden corner until finally there was no longer any dark place left to hide. As Hiiragizawa Tsuyoshi did eventually find out, you can never be too careless in this world.

During a business trip to Taiwan, photographer from the local tabloids had suspiciously followed Tsuyoshi around the city. It was through this trail that the man uncovered a secret that would forever change the Hiiragizawa family. Deep in Taipei, the city of Taiwan, Tsuyoshi hid a beautiful woman away from the media. The woman, who turned out to be his mistress, did not seem special at first sight but she did have the familiar face of someone Eriol knew to be very close to the family. It turned out that the lady was the none other than the secretary and close friend of his mother, Yamamoto Mizuki.

"That two-faced whore." Eriol growled out in the silent air. "Clawing onto a married man at that. How tasteless!"

Imagine the Li Clan's surprise when intimate pictures of his father and Yamamoto-san came out all over the news. The shock was then quickly replaced into anger when the media began to pester the family even more. Gossips about the lack of propriety and restraint circulated among the social class, and many people found it hard to transact business with the Hiiragizawa family. Eriol, even now, could still remember his mother crying in her room and the shouting matches that occurred between his parents every night after that. When Tsuyoshi's affairs were discovered, Eriol never did speak to his father again. And the latter, in turn, came home less and less. Finally, after four months of being under a strained environment, Tsuyoshi decided he had had enough. On that unfortunate night eight years ago, Tsuyoshi signed over the rights of Hiiragizawa Industries to Hiiragizawa Reina and in return asked for a quiet divorce.

'Bastard.' Eriol thought, balling up his fist.

Despite the fact that Tsuyoshi had hurt his mother deeply, what Eriol had expected him to do was fight for his marriage. Fight for it like a man and maybe then, things would have worked out somehow… Some way… Over time…

"But no…" Eriol bitterly sighed. "Such a thing never happened."

Tsuyoshi, that spineless coward… He was quick to give up when the going got tough. And his mother who was too weak for her own good did the only thing she could do. She agreed to quietly let her husband go… Eriol threw his cigarette on the ground and put it out with his shoe. Deep inside he was seriously disgusted at how pitiful his family turned out to be. And worst of all, the moment Tsuyoshi walked out of the Hiiragizawa mansion for the last time, Eriol found something he would hate more than anything else in the world. It sickened him to know that he actually shared the same blood as that rogue.

'I'll never be like that old man.' He vowed to himself while pulling the glass doors of Studio 24 open. He was about to enter the building when suddenly something solid crashed into his chest.

'What on earth –' Eriol managed to keep his feet firmly on the ground but the other person however wasn't so lucky.

"Itai (that hurts)!" the dark-haired girl who had bumped into him massaged her sore back.

Eriol looked down on the floor and saw that the young woman sprawled before him was wearing a simple black chiffon dress. He guessed that she was probably one of the contestants for the show and quickly remembered his manners.

"Gomen (Sorry). I wasn't watching where I was going." He offered his hand to the young lady. The latter graciously accepted it and brushed the dirt off of her dress.

"Ah! No! It was my fault! I–I was the one who ran into you." She said and glanced up only to find a familiar pair of azure eyes. No way… It couldn't be…

"Hiiragizawa-sempai?" the girl called out in a soft voice.

Eriol stared at the person in front of him with wide eyes. That long dark curly hair and those amethyst orbs… They were unmistakable, all right… "Tomoyo? Daidouji Tomoyo?!"

"Hai (yes)! It's me!" Tomoyo replied with a smiling face. "Kami-sama! I never thought I would see you here."

"Neither did I!" Eriol told her laughingly and pulled the other girl into a hug. "How is Daidouji-san?"

"Okaa-san (mother)? She's fine. Actually, she's in America right now meeting with the executives of Wal-Mart. They're promoting her new toys for the Christmas season."

"Ah, I see." Eriol held onto Tomoyo's shoulders at arm's length and examined her yet again. He couldn't believe that of all places, he would meet such a recognizable face here in Japan. The last time he'd seen Tomoyo was six year ago. And even though she had studied in Oxford University for only two semesters, she had somehow become one of Eriol's dearest friends. Maybe it was because she was the only girl in the dormitory and Eriol had felt obligated to watch over her as the dorm leader. No, that couldn't be it… The first time Eriol saw Tomoyo, he sensed a refreshingly optimistic air all over her. She was always laughing and joking around with the people close to her… That positive aura she had… It was what drew him in…

Eriol grinned. "Well, you certainly have changed Tomoyo. I must say, you've gotten even more beautiful."

"Sempai, stop it! You're going to make me blush!" Tomoyo said, already turning slightly red.

"Oh but it's true." Eriol winked at her playfully. "Well, except for your height! It looks like you're still a head shorter than me!"

"Sempai!!!" Tomoyo protested. "So mean!"

To Tomoyo, it seemed that Eriol had somewhat changed as well. The first time she had met him, the dorm leader appeared to be very cold and arrogant. Despite his uncaring attitude however, many of the boys in the dormitory greatly respected him. They admired him for being one of the smartest and most athletic students in their year. A lot of girls from the university had also fawned over Eriol; every time he left the boarding house, a huge female crowd would be waiting outside the door and go wild just to see his handsome face. Eriol, however, simply ignored them and went on with his day as though no nothing extraordinary had happened. Tomoyo could still remember how indifferent Eriol had been when she stayed at Oxford for an exchange program. For the first three weeks of her stay, he never spoke to Tomoyo nor did he look at her (despite the fact that her room was right across his). It had felt, as though, she didn't exist in his world… Like she was as transparent as air…

Eriol's personality back then didn't faze Tomoyo much. After all, it wasn't as though they were close friends or anything of that sort. To her, he was nothing more than a dorm leader who made sure that the residence rules were applied. Snobby as he was, Tomoyo did note that he did his job well. Perhaps her opinion of Eriol wouldn't have changed had it not been for a certain incident one February night. While studying for her midterm exams, Tomoyo decided to prepare a midnight snack in their dormitory's kitchen. She had just finished baking fresh batch of white chocolate macadamia nut cookies when suddenly the dorm leader burst into the room.

"_Who's making… Did you? Are those –" he mumbled._

Tomoyo had been so shocked at Eriol's emergence that all she could do was hold out the plate of cookies in front of him. The latter, in return, muttered a quiet thank you before snatching the food away from her hands and quickly leaving the kitchen. At first, Tomoyo had thought that of the whole incident as bizarre. But the following night proved to Tomoyo that them meeting was no coincidence. After making a chocolate sensation cake to help calm her nerves, Tomoyo found herself being interrupted by Eriol once again. It was at this point in time that she discovered Eriol's weakness. Who would've thought that the seemingly cold dorm leader had a sweet tooth?

After uncovering that piece of information, Tomoyo took it upon herself to make desserts for her dorm leader during her stay at Oxford. At the beginning, she had no idea why she was doing such a thing. She simply felt compelled to bake especially after seeing Eriol's happy expression while eating her food. And through all those cookies, cakes, and pastries, Tomoyo also found something valuable… She had managed to somehow become Eriol's friend…

"What's with all this 'sempai'? Tomoyo, you're not my kohai (junior) anymore! Don't be so formal!" Eriol poked her on the forehead.

Tomoyo in turn looked at him weirdly and smirked. "Would you rather me call you by something else then, _Prince Eriol_?"

Eriol felt heat rise up to his cheeks at the reminder of his old nickname. He hadn't been called Prince Eriol since he graduated from Oxford. 'This is why it's dangerous to run into old acquaintances. They seem to know all the embarrassing details of your past life,' he thought, embarrassed.

Out loud, he attempted to change the topic of their conversation, "What brings you here anyway Tomoyo? You seem to be all dolled up. Are you going to a party by any chance?"

Tomoyo smiled.

"Something like that," she said. "In fact, the party is being hosted by my very own Prince Charming here at the station."

"What Prince Charming?" Eriol looked at his friend in bewilderment.

"Sempai!" Tomoyo rolled her eyes. "I'm here for that new bachelor show! I'm sure you've heard of it. The one with Li Syaoran! It's called "Are You The One?" Ring any bells?"

"You're joking –" Eriol gapped at her in surprise.

"No, I'm not! I'm quite serious actually. If you must know, I'm one of the girls in the competition."

It took a few moments before Tomoyo's words registered in his head and when it finally did, Eriol buried his face behind his hands. 'This is unbelievable,' he thought. 'I mean, what were the chances of this happening?' Across from where he was standing, Tomoyo watched as Eriol's shoulders began to shake hard. She wondered if her sempai suffered from epileptic shocks and cautiously waved her hand in front of his face.

"Hiiragizawa-sempai? Daijoubu desu ka (Are you ok)?" Tomoyo asked, worried.

Hearing her soft voice, Eriol looked up and eyed Tomoyo with delight. Who would've thought that God would answer his prayers in the form of his kohai! With Tomoyo in the competition, he would have one less thing to worry about. She was smart, beautiful, and successful in life. The fact that she grew up in the social circles also erased the fear he had about those women trying to claim the Li fortune themselves. Yes, Tomoyo was the ideal choice… With her, this whole plan of Mei Lin's might just go rather smoothly… Of course… Now all he had to do was make sure that Syaoran kept his friend in the competition and eventually choose her as his bride.

"Everything is fine, Tomoyo! Just fine." He said, a smile dancing across his lips. "In fact, everything is just perfect!"

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Sakura watched from behind the tall white pillars as Syaoran greeted the show's contestants one by one. Judging by the way he moved and the way he talked, one could tell that the man lived in a completely different world. It's not just how he dressed. Oh no sir! Aside from the Patek Philippe watch on his wrist and the Brooks Brothers suit he was wearing, Sakura noted that Syaoran held himself in an elegant fashion. Unlike the normal average Joe, he exuded a certain sophisticated air around him. The manner in which he moved emanated an intimidating force of power from his actions. And his voice… Oh that rich smooth tone… The way he talked was so cultured; it was as if you were listening to Michael Buble himself! Sakura seriously wondered if this was truly the same man she encountered a while ago.

'And he thought I was the one with a multiple personality disorder!' Sakura scoffed as a pretty young lady with red hair came up to Syaoran. She watched as the girl respectfully bowed her head to him.

"Li-sama, my name is Sasaki Rika. It's a pleasure to finally meet you at last." The woman introduced herself shyly.

In response, Sakura saw Syaoran gently reach for Rika's right hand and place a soft kiss on top of it.

"The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Sasaki." He said while giving her a charming smile. "After all, if it weren't for this show, I would never have been able to meet someone as gorgeous as you."

Rika blushed a deep shade red and for a moment, Sakura thought that the other girl would swoon from Syaoran's words. Typical! Sakura rolled her eyes. Of course a player like him would know all the best pick-up lines in the world.

From the corner of his eye, Li Syaoran felt Sakura's gaze on him and noticed that she was standing by the pillars. It really was too bad that she wasn't participating in this bachelor contest. Had she chosen to take part in it, Syaoran would have guaranteed her special attention. There was just something about that young woman that attracted him so much. God help him, that time in the elevator. It was the second time after meeting her in which he almost lost control. No doubt about it, Sakura's presence brought a sudden thrill in life. And Kami-sama! How he loved the chase…

Suddenly a mischievous idea struck Syaoran. He knew just the way to get Sakura's attention now. After Ms. Sasaki left the platform, he checked to see where the cameras were directed. Seeing that none were focused on him, Syaoran cautiously turned to Sakura's direction and smiled flirtatiously.

'This ought to be good.' He thought, grinning to himself.

Sakura noticed the subtle change in Syaoran's attitude and had an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. That silly grin on his face! Whatever he's planning to do, Sakura already knew that the man was up to no good. Sure enough, her discomforts were proven true when Syaoran boldly winked at her.

'The nerve of this guy!' Sakura's mouth dropped open and blood rushed to her cheeks in embarrassment. Why on earth would he do such a thing in front of so many people? Shaking her head in disbelief, she glared at Syaoran and stuck her tongue out at him in return. If he thought that a smart woman like herself would fall for his antics… Hah! He should think again!

"You lecher!" Sakura mouthed the words out in his direction.

Somehow, Syaoran understood what Sakura silently said and after seeing her childish behavior, he really wanted to laugh out loud. His shoulders were already starting to shake but he forced himself to keep a straight face in front of everyone. Oh how just like her to do something so priceless! And to be honest, he didn't expect anything less.

'Kinomoto Sakura… You sure are one interesting girl.' He thought.

When Tomoyo finally came to show herself next, Sakura focused her attention back to the contest. Looking at her friend from a distance, Sakura felt a sudden pride in her chest. Of all the ladies, Tomoyo sure looked the most beautiful girl among them. Unlike the other contestants, Tomoyo did not put on a scantily clad outfit. Instead, she wore a simple black Chanel dress that covered her breasts demurely and ended just right above her knees. Her long hair was put up into an elegant French twist with a few soft tendrils framing the side of her face and Sakura had made sure that her make-up was light and natural. Overall, Tomoyo glowed and she looked almost like a woodland fairy.

"Good evening Li-san. My name is Daidouji Tomoyo. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu (Nice to meet you)." Tomoyo said in a soft voice.

Syaoran eyes widened in recognition of her name and face. Daidouji Tomoyo. This was the famous fashion designer that his cousin Mei Lin always gushed about!

'She's definitely stunning up close.' He thought. 'But what on earth is she doing on this show?'

"Well, this is rather unexpected Daidouji-san." Syaoran said as he leaned down and kissed both sides of her cheek.

Tomoyo smiled and returned the aristocratic gesture. "Please… Feel free to call me Tomoyo."

"If you insist." Syaoran clasped both of her hands in his. "But if I were to call you Tomoyo, then you must call me Syaoran as well. No formalities must exist between us whatsoever."

"Alright. I concede." She replied, nodding her head.

"I must admit, Tomoyo. This is not the first time I've met you." Syaoran told her unexpectedly.

"Oh?" Tomoyo glanced at him bewildered. "I'm sure that if I met you before, I wouldn't have forgotten about it so easily."

Syaoran grinned. "Well, you see, I met you but you didn't meet me."

Tomoyo blinked her eyes questioningly. What on earth did he mean by that?

"I'm sorry. I beg your pardon?"

"I went to your spring fashion show in Hong Kong last year," Syaoran began. "I was a guest of one of your models."

Upon hearing his explanation, Tomoyo's mouth formed a wide O and realization dawned on her. 'The guest he must be referring to was probably Miyu-chan,' she thought but decided not to voice this conclusion out loud in front of the cameras. He had probably said the last statement unconsciously, not thinking about the consequences of it. To divert the attention and the wandering minds of the surprised audience, Tomoyo took a playful approach. "In that case I hope I made a good impression back then."

'She noticed my mistake.' Syaoran inwardly admired Tomoyo's perceptive nature. Truthfully, he wanted to see what the designer would do if she were placed in such awkward situations and judging by how she reacted, he was not let down.

"Oh you did." He assured her. "Your designs… They truly are fantastic. You have wonderful taste."

Hearing Syaoran compliment her work, Tomoyo blushed in embarrassment. This was the first time a straight man had openly praised her designs and for some reason, it felt different than if she were to hear those words from a girl or a homosexual man instead. Tomoyo discreetly checked out Li's outfit and decided that the man definitely had a good fashion sense. Either that, or his personal shopper had a very good eye on clothes.

"I do hope that my designs weren't the only thing that caught your attention?" Tomoyo cajoled.

'A witty woman.' Syaoran eyed the former speculatively. "Well, it was the second thing that caught my eye."

"And the first being?"

"That the designer was a vivacious young woman who looked as though she should be a model on the runway herself." Syaoran told her in a teasing tone.

From afar, Sakura saw Tomoyo giggle in response to Syaoran's flattering words and felt a sense of confusion wash over her. It was true that Tomoyo joining this ridiculous show had been her idea in the first place and she had prayed to God that in doing so, the young woman would at last find her true love. But something was wrong. Something was oh so definitely wrong… For some reason, Sakura could find little entertainment in watching her best friend and that licentious bachelor Li Syaoran flirting.

'Kami-sama, they don't even match at all! For Pete's sake, it's like heaven and earth merging together! Besides, Tomoyo's way too good for him!' Sakura thought contemptuously.

Glancing back at her friend, she saw Tomoyo laugh at something that Syaoran just said and Sakura couldn't help but feel slightly guilty.

What she thought of just then wasn't very nice… In fact, it was unjustified…

Besides, it seemed as though Tomoyo really did enjoy the bachelor's company and the latter looked the same. She shouldn't ruin this for her friend just because she did not approve of Li Syaoran's character.

Realizing what she had been doing before, Sakura shook her head out of negativity and leaned on the sturdy white pillar. For crying out loud, she should be dancing in circles knowing that Tomoyo and Li are getting along very well. Wasn't that their goal anyway? Hadn't things been going just the way they planned? Right then. Everything's perfect. Nothing can ruin this.

So why is it… Why wasn't she happy with this outcome at all?

'What's wrong with me?' Sakura questioned herself.

In place of relief, why did she feel a tinge of disappointment instead?

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"Oh, Sakura's he's wonderful. Really, I never knew that Syaoran could be this amiable in person!" Tomoyo told her friend as the latter drove them both home.

"That's nice." Sakura replied absent-mindedly while keeping her eyes on the road.

"And my goodness, I can't believe he was that handsome up close. I nearly fainted when I stepped onto that platform." Tomoyo said.

"What a commotion that would've been."

"It's really like what all the other contestants said – he does look like a god! It's no wonder why all the girls fawn over him. He is very handsome."

"Uh-huh."

Tomoyo leaned on her seat more comfortably and glanced out in the window. "Seriously though… I never thought Syaoran would be this really nice guy. To be honest, I was rather afraid of meeting him tonight. My knees were practically shaking when I introduced myself to him. I mean, the magazines portray him as a player and newspapers refer to him as a ruthless businessman. How are you supposed to act in front of a person like that?"

"Beats me." Sakura said but Tomoyo ignored her.

"Anyway, after having the chance to talk to him, I was finally able to form my personal opinion of Li-san."

"Congratulations to you then."

"I didn't find Syaoran cold nor shameless. The media certainly lied about that. In fact, he was a genuinely charming man."

"Too charming for his own good." Sakura muttered underneath her breath.

"Hmm? Did you say something 'Kura?"

Sakura shook her head. "Nandemonai (It's nothing)."

Tomoyo looked at her friend strangely and wondered why the latter was unusually quiet tonight. When they had finally found each other in the dressing room, Tomoyo noticed that Sakura looked rather flustered. Her movements were jerky while she applied make-up on Tomoyo's face and her mind seemed as though it wasn't in the right place. Maybe working two jobs had finally taken a toll on her.

"Are you feeling alright?" Tomoyo asked, concern written all over her face.

"I'm fine." Sakura told her in a nonchalant voice.

"You don't look well. In fact, you seemed rather peaky all night."

Sakura signaled the car to turn into their driveway. "I probably caught something in the studio. Mind you, it was quite chilly tonight."

Upon hearing this, Tomoyo frowned in worry. Maybe getting Sakura to play chaperone was asking for too much. Even though her friend had gotten an easy leave of absence from her mother's company, Tomoyo knew that Sakura was still working in her other part-time job at the salon. Truth to be told, she couldn't understand why her friend pushed herself so hard. If she really needed the money to pay for her father's medical bills, she shouldn't hesitate to take the money that Tomoyo was willing lend her. But no… Born with that stubborn nature of hers, Sakura claimed that accepting a huge sum from a friend would be rude and inconsiderate.

'There are times when I wish Sakura would just swallow her pride and show a little bit of weakness.' Tomoyo thought as she released her seatbelt.

Pressing the back of her hand on Sakura's forehead, Tomoyo checked to see if her friend had a temperature. "You're a bit warm but it doesn't look like it's a fever."

"Like I said, I'm fine." Sakura insisted.

"Well, in any event, hurry up and get yourself in the house. You can take a shower first while I boil some water and make some chamomile tea. It should help you with whatever your coming down with." Tomoyo told Sakura before getting out of the vehicle and closing the passenger door shut.

In return, Sakura smiled gratefully and waited until Tomoyo went inside of their house. As soon as her friend was out of sight, she turned the engine of the car off and simply sat on the driver's seat. Finally, some time alone to think quietly. She didn't know why, but hearing Tomoyo talk about Li during their entire ride home was quite uncomfortable. She was usually an attentive listener but tonight, Sakura attempted to block out much of what her friend had been saying. Her apathy of course did not go unnoticed by Tomoyo. Why on earth did she play indifferent?

"Maybe I really am sick." Sakura commented to herself and leaned her head against the window. How else could she explain her change in attitude tonight?

* * *

**End of Chapter 4**

**Authors Note: **Not much S + S interaction here except for Sakura's confused feelings. Don't get me wrong though, she hasn't fallen in love with Syaoran yet. She's attracted to him, that's for sure, which is probably why she doesn't like seeing him pay attention to girls other than herself. In particular, she didn't enjoy seeing him getting along so well with Tomoyo. However, despite the fact that she does feel something for Syaoran, she has yet to realize it herself. She attributes much of her unusual reactions to other factors; i.e. (1) during the show, she felt that her disappointment arose from the fact that she thought Tomoyo could do so much better than Li Syaoran and (2) she used the excuse of not feeling well to explain her indifference with Tomoyo in the car. So what do we get from Sakura's personality in this chapter – she's smart but unfortunately, she's a bit slow when it comes to her love life.

Also, I had some questions regarding whether this fanfiction would include an Eriol / Tomoyo pairing as well. I've actually already decided how to end this story and if I answered that question, I would basically be answering how this story concludes. In spite of the fact that I do love E + T together, note that the show's contestant is Tomoyo and the bachelor is Syaoran.

Finally, I would like to thank all the readers and reviewers out there. Hearing what you think about my story encourages me to write not only for myself but also for you guys. Your kind words really do mean a lot.


	5. Negative x Negative Equals Positive

**Disclaimer: **The author does not own Card Captor Sakura or anything affiliated with it. She only has rights to the plot of the story and its AU characters.

**Summary:** Famous fashion designer and Daidouji Toy Company heiress, Daidouji Tomoyo, has just been dumped by her actor ex-boyfriend. What's worst, he called Tomoyo an emotional abuser in front of millions of Japanese people. To soften the blow to her reputation, Tomoyo's best friend, Kinomoto Sakura, hatched a plan for Tomoyo to appear in a new reality show "Are You The One?" and hoped that the former would make a great comeback out of it. All seemed fine at the beginning, but trouble ensues when Sakura catches Li Syaoran, the bachelor of the show's, attention instead. To make matters complicated, Sakura's resistance against his charms also deteriorate over the course of the show. Will she finally succumb to the passion that Li's kisses promise or will she stay true to her friend who has been with her since childhood?

* * *

**Say That You Love Me**

**Chapter 5: Negative Luck x Negative Circumstances Equals Positive Luck in the End **

* * *

Sundays… Sakura's favorite day of the week… It was the _only_ day where she did not have to go to work early for both her part-time jobs. Why, one might ask? Well, Daidouji Toy Company was closed on Sundays and the local salon Sakura also worked at did not open until 10:30 a.m. (which, by the way, was already close to midday). Better yet, Yuki, the manager of the salon, usually scheduled her on the afternoon shifts. 

Sundays… The _only _day of the week where she could enjoy those short (yet eternity-like) couple of hours in the morning just snuggling underneath that warm blanket… Oh how she hated getting up so early from Monday to Saturday and always having to take a shower before Tomoyo. Their water heater seemed to function at random hours and unfortunately for Sakura, it was always her who happened to take the brunt of it. The first to wake up and therefore, the first to take a shower, Sakura reluctantly freezes her body to death just to make sure she was nice and clean for the day. Seriously, where was the justice in her going through such torture while Tomoyo enjoyed her "supposedly" relaxing warm baths? If personal hygiene weren't so high on her list, she'd skip the whole thing and go straight to work in her pajamas. Besides wouldn't it be economical that way? By doing so they could really save up on their utility bills!

Unfortunately, having bad odor had more dreadful consequences.

People stare at you and avoid you like the plague.

So… Cold showers it is!

Sundays… The _only_ day of the week where Sakura did not have to hear customers complaining about their toys over the phone… Kami-sama, those damn high-pitched voices yelling at her for no apparent reason! It's not her fault their toys weren't working! Plus, did they even read the instructions on how to turn on their goddamn robots? It's written on the manual after all! Oh what was that? The customers just told her that they accidentally threw out their manual. So who's stupid now?

Sigh. Well, at least she wouldn't have to deal with idiots like that on Sundays!

No siree, Sakura wouldn't have to hear, see, or talk to those annoying people until the day after tomorrow!

Sundays… The _only_ day when her favorite cartoons were aired on television. Really! She couldn't understand why the cartoon network insisted on putting Bugs Bunny and the Flinstones in the wee hours of the weekend morning. To give time to those new animated shows they have on nowadays?! Blimey, the Jetsons, Yogi Bear, Tom & Jerry… Those were the classics! What were adults thinking replacing them with three-dimensional characters, which, by the way, suck!

Honestly…

What ever happened to good 'ole television?

Sundays…

Sakura's favorite day of the week…

Or at least it used to be.

So the million-dollar question was: what happened to make Sakura change her opinion about this particular day?

Well, let's recap shall we?

It all started at six o'clock that morning. Usually, Sakura would still be dozing off at this time. However, today of all days just happened to be different; her peaceful slumber was rudely interrupted when Tomoyo suddenly barged into her room.

"Wakey! Wakey! Eggs and Bakey!" Tomoyo called out in a singsong voice.

In response, Sakura shrugged her hand off and grumpily turned to her side. "Five more minutes, Otou-san (Dad)."

"Otou-san (Dad)?!" Tomoyo put her hands on her hips. "Kinomoto Sakura, are you telling me that your best friend sounds like a man?!"

"Mmm-hmm." Sakura replied sleepily.

Affronted, Tomoyo climbed on her friend's bed and proceeded to jump up and down. This ought to teach her not to ignore the great Daidouji Tomoyo.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" Tomoyo bellowed.

Hearing her friend's loud voice, Sakura's eyes snapped wide open and quickly scrambled out of bed.

"EARTHQUAKE!!!" she gasped while putting on her robe haphazardly. "TOMOYO!!! EARTHQUAKE! QUICK! WE HAVE TO –"

Sakura stopped in mid-sentence when she heard a snorting sound behind her. Turing around, she saw Tomoyo lying down on her bed, clutching her stomach in laughter.

_So there was no earthquake after all… _

Frowning, Sakura reached over and poked her friend hard on the shoulder.

"That wasn't funny," she told her friend irritably.

Tomoyo only covered her mouth and laughed harder. Sighing at her friend's immaturity, Sakura scratched the back of her head and asked, "What do you want? And it had better be good because I refuse to believe that you woke up for no apparent reason!"

After calming herself down, Tomoyo sat herself up and smiled at Sakura with pleading eyes. "' Kura, you love me don't you?"

"Wh-What?" Sakura regarded the aforementioned person with incredulity. "Do not tell me that you woke me up just to discuss the deepness of our friendship because so help me God, I will –"

"I need a favour Sakura," Tomoyo quickly cut in. "A huge one! Could you please, please, please take over the grocery shopping today? Just for today?"

"Nande (Why)? No way! I already went to the supermarket last week and the two weeks before that! Come to think of it, you've been slacking off on your grocery shopping. It's your turn 'Moyo!" Sakura replied as she headed down to the bathroom to watch her face and brush her teeth. Tomoyo, however, persistently followed suit.

"Demo… I… Please, Sakura! I'm in a pinch here!"

Taking note of the dejected tone in her voice, Sakura looked at Tomoyo from the mirror and asked, "What's the excuse this time?"

"Shiori, okaa-san's (Mom's) secretary rang my cell phone up this morning," Tomoyo began. "Apparently, there's been some great mix-up in one of the factories. Something about the toys being in the wrong boxes… Anyway, the toys have already been shipped yesterday night and since 'Ka-san isn't here, I have to go over to the office and deal with the mess."

"That sounds complicated," Sakura commented as reached for the towel to dry her face off.

"It is," Tomoyo folded her arms and leaned on the bathroom door. "I can only imagine talking to department store managers and hearing their complaints about late inventory. Not exactly the business conversation I'm looking forward to first thing in the morning."

After listening to her friend's explanation, Sakura exhaled loudly. Talk about an unlucky start to the day! What other choice did she have now but to surrender to Tomoyo's pleas?

"Alright. I'll do the shopping," Sakura patted the other girl on the shoulder. "You just worry about the company's shipment problem."

"Arigatou (Thanks) ' Kura! I owe you one!" Tomoyo said as she hugged her friend tightly in gratitude.

"Kini shinai de! (Don't worry about it)." Sakura told her, slightly embarrassed. "Just give me the list of things we need to buy."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Tomoyo, if you weren't my friend, I would seriously feed you to the sharks by now," Sakura muttered under her breath.

Grocery shopping on a Sunday morning was definitely not her idea of fun. The supermarket was always packed with people during this time and much of the younger staff were actually quite rude to the customers. Not that she could blame them of course. Working in the same industry as these individuals has taught Sakura that stupid people do exist in the world.

As she waited for the check out line at the cashier to clear up, Sakura glanced her watch and saw that she was already five minutes late for work.

'Great, Yuki is going to butcher me into pieces,' she thought while tapping her foot on the floor impatiently.

She had been standing in the same position for nearly ten minutes and she seriously wondered what the hold up was. Her arms were already getting tired from carrying a basket full of vegetables and meat. Craning her neck over to the front of the register, Sakura saw an old woman arguing with the cashier.

_"You overcharged me! The bottle of prune juice only costs 250 yen. It says so on the flyer!" The old woman showed the cashier a crumpled up newspaper clipping._

_"I'__m sorry Ma'__am. That price is only for a 1 Liter of prune juice. And you bought –" _

_"A 1.5 __Liter… What'__s the difference? Young girl, the flyer never said anything about the amount that I needed to buy! It was advertised for all the prune juices." _

_"Ma'__am, there is nothing I can do about that. If you like, I can charge you for that price but you will have to buy the smaller container." The cashier explained in a strained voice. _

_"That'__s ridiculous! Why should I pay 350 yen when the advertisement said I could get it for 250 yen? You know what, I am not moving from this spot until you correct that problem dear!" the old woman dropped her shopping bags on the desk and put her hands on her hips. _

From where she stood, Sakura watched the exchange in exasperation. Really! Couldn't they have dealt with this problem somewhere else? They were disturbing other customers who obviously have better things to do than stay in the supermarket all day.

Honestly…

With her mind made up, Sakura sauntered over to the two arguing individuals.

"Is there something wrong Obaa-san (Grandma)?" Sakura asked in her most assertive tone of voice.

Slightly startled, the old woman turned her attention to Sakura and stubbornly crossed her arms.

"Wrong?! This young girl refuses to give me the right price. Look," The old woman pulled an advertisement out of her purse and handed it over to Sakura. "Wouldn't you say that all the prune juice cost 250 yen regardless of the size?"

Sakura checked the paper to see if there was any fine print that would justify the cashier's explanation and she was mildly surprised to find that the old woman had indeed been telling the truth.

"You're right, Obaa-san."

Turning to the cashier, Sakura saw that the young girl was nearly in tears. Probably out of frustration over the incident… Sakura took pity on the harassed looking employee and calmly told the young girl to call her manager. Not wanting any more disruptions of course, she quickly obliged and paged her manager on the phone. It took a few minutes before a man (who was probably in his mid-twenties) came onto the scene. Judging by his light-colored hair and slightly pale complexion, Sakura noted that he must be from northern Japan. Either that or he wasn't a full Japanese person to begin with.

"I got your code 182," he whispered to the cashier. "Who is it this time?"

When the young girl pointed to Sakura's direction, the man looked slightly dumbfounded. He had the expression of someone who had just seen a ghost.

"Ummm… Ano…" Sakura called out, feeling rather uncomfortable with all his staring.

Snapping out of his reverie, the young man strode over to where Sakura stood and greeted her politely. "Hi, my name is Matsumoto Ryuu. What seems to be the problem Miss?"

"Sorry to bother you. I know you're very busy but I do believe there's been some misprint in your advertisement," Sakura showed him the newspaper clipping that the old woman had given her and explained what the entire predicament was about. Ryuu patiently listened to her account without interruption and after careful considering all that things that Sakura told him; he decided that the customer was right on the case.

"Gomen Obaa-san," he bowed his head humbly to the older woman. "Had we been notified of this situation earlier, we could have fixed it sooner. No worries though. I will give you the price that is on the flyer. Really, I am terribly sorry for all the hassle that this has caused you."

"You're right! It was a hassle!" the older woman said indignantly.

"Again, I am very sorry." Ryuu told her. "We'll be notifying the head office as soon as possible."

"Good! That's what I'd like to hear," the old woman nodded her head to Ryuu and turned her attention back to Sakura. In a gentler voice she said, "Dear, thank you so much for all your help. You are such an angel."

"Oh, it's nothing Obaa-san. Don't even worry about it."

The old woman shook her head. "Really, I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't interfered. Arigatou."

Sakura in return only smiled and waved goodbye as the old woman exited the store. As soon as she was out of sight, Sakura quickly checked her watch and saw that it was already close to 1:30 in the afternoon.

'Crap!' she groaned, looking at the long line in panic. In her attempt to help someone, Sakura realized that she would be an hour late for work. And if things couldn't get worst, she just lost her spot in line. Now she would have to wait for another fifteen minutes before paying for all the items that she bought. Beside her, Ryuu noticed the problem and took pity upon Sakura.

"Follow me," he said, taking Sakura shopping basket from her hands. "I'll serve you in another register."

Sakura looked at him in surprise and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much."

"It's the least I can do," Ryuu grinned. "From what I understand, you were the one who handled the situation with that customer before I got there. I'm impressed."

Sakura blushed at the attention he was giving her. "Oh. That really was nothing. I can't take all the credit you're giving me."

"Nonsense!"

"No, seriously! I only meddled because I wanted to get the line moving," she admitted ruefully.

In response, Ryuu laughed out loud. "Not only are you kind Miss, but you are also one honest person. I knew you would be different from the very fist moment I saw you."

"I'm sorry?" Sakura asked him, slightly bewildered. She watched as Ryuu scanned her items quickly before answering her question.

"I've seen you in the store before. Every Sunday in fact," he confessed. "I'm not sure you remember, but on my very first day as a manager, I had a little accident with a crate full of oranges. A teenager knocked it over on purpose and I was left to pick up the mess. You were there when it happened but unlike other customers, you didn't mind your own business. You grabbed the boy and forced him to help me pick up the oranges with you. I've never forgotten that day since. The moment I saw you, I knew you were one of those good people out there."

After hearing his words, Sakura stood in her spot utterly stunned. Truth to be told, she could not remember what Ryuu was talking about. But, not wanting to hurt his feelings, she spared him the need to know that. Even more so, Sakura was also surprised to learn that she had performed some good deed unconsciously. Inwardly proud of herself, she couldn't help but smile.

"I kept hoping that I would run into you again after that incident," Ryuu told her as he bagged her purchases. "I mean, I've seen you here and there but I could never really work up the courage to approach you. You always seemed to be in a hurry and I honestly didn't know what to say. Well, at least the chance finally came today."

"Seems so," she commented while paying for the groceries with her credit card. After the transaction was finished, Sakura picked up the heavy bags and thanked him again for opening a new register for her.

"No, I should be the one thanking you," he said. "Bye now. Have a good day."

As Sakura walked away, Ryuu watched her back and wondered when he would ever her again. Or if he would ever see her again…

_Sigh. _

He shouldn't even be thinking of this being in a professional environment and all…

_But… _

After some quick and careful consideration, Ryuu made up his mind. Not wanting to waste any more opportunities, he left a long line of customers to chase after Sakura.

"Matte (Wait) Miss!" Ryuu called out.

Sakura was almost out of the store when she heard the manager's voice behind her. Turning around, she saw Ryuu running in her direction.

"Matsumoto-san?"

Ryuu stopped as soon as he reached Sakura and went to catch his breath. He must be out of his mind, but something told him that he should seize the day. Carpe diem, right?

"I know this may seem sudden…" he began in a breathless tone of voice. "I mean, after all, we've only met each other today… Well, we met before but we never talked… And today was the first day we actually talked to each other… And –"

"Ummm… Ano…" Sakura interrupted his mindless ramblings. "You're not making any sense Matsumoto-san."

Ryuu gulped and gathered up the little confidence he had in himself. "What I'm trying to say is, wouldyouliketohaveacupofcoffeewithmethisFriday?"

"Eh?!" Sakura said in surprise. Either the last part of his sentence was too fast for her to follow or he just asked her out on a date. "I – I don't think I heard you correctly."

"Would-you-like-to-have-a-cup-of-coffee-with-me-this-Friday?" he enunciated each word more slowly.

Sakura felt her cheeks redden as she realized that the two of them had captured the entire store's attention. If there was one thing she hated, it was being under the spotlight. 'This can't be happening,' she thought, looking at Ryuu's expectant form. What should she do? Don't get the wrong idea; Sakura was flattered beyond belief. Who wouldn't be? Here was a handsome young gentleman and he just asked her out on a date!

"I…"

But then again, she really wasn't looking forward to any relationships. After all, she had too many responsibilities going on.

Her father was in the hospital…

Tomoyo-chan was involved in a new reality show…

Then there was the juggling of two part-time jobs…

And unpaid credit card bills…

Not to mention, her future plans of going back to school…

Really! Where would she fit a social life into all of that?

"I -"

Ryuu noticed that Sakura was hesitating in her answer and each minute that passed caused his confidence to drop at a dramatic rate.

'She doesn't want to go out with me," he finally concluded in dismay. He should've seen this coming. His actions were (as one might call it) too hasty after all and any normal girl would never automatically agree to date someone they just met.

Sigh. Well, at least it was worth a try… At least he had the chance to finally speak to this mysterious angel…

In a dejected tone of voice, Ryuu kneeled down and bowed his head to Sakura. "Gomen, Miss. I… It was wrong of me to ask you something personal."

Sakura felt a slight tug on her heart as she watched the manager humbling himself to her. Well, this was rather awkward. After helping her and having worked up the guts to confess his feelings in front of so many people, this was how she repaid him? Gone was the confidence and its place, shame aired out from his form.

How could she be so cruel!

"Ano… Eto…"

From one of the registers, a male customer watched their exchange in fascination and couldn't help but voice his pity out loud, "Oh for Pete's sake, girlie! Just say yes to the poor guy!"

And like a domino effect, the other customers also shared their sentiments in a similar fashion.

"Yeah, it's just a date!"

"Don't be a tease!"

"Give him a chance!"

"Cut him some slack!"

Sakura glanced at Ryuu again and saw that he still hadn't raised his head from the ground. He probably lost all hope when she could not give him a straight answer. Why oh why did he have to look so heart broken?

'Oh bloody hell!' Sakura mentally threw her hands up in the air. She already knew where this would lead to. Damn her consciousness. 'I guess it couldn't hurt!'

Perhaps she could take a break from reality for a little while…

Just a little while…

"Alright! _Alright already!_ This Friday. I'll meet you here 5 p.m. exactly." Sakura told him, feeling slightly overwhelmed with the situation.

In hearing her voice, Ryuu quickly looked up and wondered if the words she uttered were just a part of his imagination. Whether her accepting a date was merely a daydream… I mean, two minute ago, everything seemed so dark and bleak. He was already forcing himself to swallow the silent rejection…

But if what just happened right now was in fact a dream, why could he feel pain on his knees after kneeling down for so long?

Slowly coming to grips, Ryuu realized that what had just occurred was indeed reality… He had not simply dreamt of her words.

It was real…

All of it…

Real…

Unable to help himself, Ryuu let out the biggest mega-watt smile he could offer.

"She accepted! She really accepted!" he exclaimed to himself.

"You've got yourself a date, Miss." he shouted after Sakura who was already by the exit doors.

Without turning around, she waved goodbye at him and said, "It's not Miss! It's Sakura!"

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Li Syaoran frowned as he listened to his board of directors argue in front of him. The current topic of their heated conversation: his appearance on a new reality show called, "Are You The One?" Surprisingly, the show received a great feedback from the Japanese population. The show itself debuted with almost eight million viewers on its first night. One would think that that feat alone would have made the board of directors content. After all, he managed to drag in some wanted publicity for the company, albeit with much reluctance on his part of course.

But, like always, that still wasn't enough for them… Nothing was ever enough for them…

"Li-sama, did you see what your son did on television? You really ought to teach him some manners! That boy is out to ruin all of us!" one man exclaimed.

"Sakano-san, calm down please. I don't believe Xiao Lang did anything wrong." Yelan replied in a calm voice. "If anything, he behaved rather marvelously."

"Marvelous?!" another man called out, feeling incredulous. "He made a joke out of the entire show. Calling every girl beautiful and praising them with those sugary remarks! Don't make me laugh!"

"Well, would you rather that he conducted himself like some sort of barbarian?" Yelan snapped back; her patience was already at its limits.

"Barbarian or not, he should have also known better than to mention his relationship with models," another member of the board of directors said. "Mind you, we still haven't controlled that crisis. If it weren't for that contestant… That-That fashion designer, Daidouji-san's quick thinking, who knows what kind of stories the tabloids would make out of this again!"

So, _that_ was the reason… After all this time, the real issue has finally been uncovered. Yelan sighed and glared at her son. She knew that Xiao Lang wasn't the type of person to make such a silly mistake. He was smart and he knew that as a prominent figure of the Li Corporation, his actions were carefully monitored by the media. Therefore, a slip up such as that one was (by no doubt) intentional. The question is… why would he do such a stupid thing?

Seriously, she could never understand what goes on through that head of his.

"If you watched the show properly, then you must have noted that Xiao Lang never mentioned Tanaka-san's name." Yelan pointed out, silencing most of the directors.

_Most_…

"That's not the point Li-san," Tanaka Jirou finally spoke out loud from his corner. "And I would also appreciate it ladies and gentlemen, if you could all avoid bringing up my wife's name into this. The major concern that we have right now is for Li Corp to maintain a positive image to its clientele. Have you forgotten the incident that almost ruined this company nearly a decade ago? If you don't whip your boy up to shape, we're bound to head in the same direction as the Hiiragizawa Industries."

"Tanaka-san!"

Upon hearing his last name, Eriol quickly stood up from his seat and looked at Tanaka Jirou darkly. How dare this bastard! Who the hell did he think he was bringing up such a topic?! All the directors knew that any topic regarding his family were taboo, especially in front of the Li's. Ever since his father's scandal, no one has ever dared to bring up the sensitive subject… Unless they wished to be reprimanded harshly.

Beside Eriol, Syaoran saw that what Tanaka Jirou said had really gotten under his cousin's skin.

'That stupid man,' he thought inwardly. 'Doesn't he know that the last person who brought up Eriol's family history ended up in the hospital?!'

Moreover, he was already fed up and irritated with (in his opinion) this rather useless meeting. This morning, he was under the impression that the purpose of the sudden conference was to figure out how to effectively branch out in their European subsidiaries. Instead, however, he was forced to spend the last two hours being chastised for his performance.

And on what basis?!

On a silly show that the board of directors themselves pushed for him to partake in!

Getting up from his seat, Syaoran finally decided to put things to an end.

"As much as I _appreciate _all of your _helpful_ insights, ladies and gentlemen, I do believe there is still a lot of work that needs to be done for the day." Syaoran said sarcastically. "Now, if you'll all excuse me, I have an important lunch meeting in ten minutes. Spending any more time here would be extremely rude to our client, don't you think?"

With that Syaoran walked out of the room with Eriol, Mei Ling, his mother, and his faithful secretary in tow. Once the door closed behind him, he could hear the board of directors talking behind his back in outrage.

"That Tanaka man! I've never liked him at all since day one! Why do we have to do business with him anyway? No wonder his wife cheated on him! The man has a despicable attitude!" Mei Ling huffed, feeling rather annoyed with the unexpected outcome of the meeting.

Eriol gave his cousin a slight smile. Despite their argument in Syaoran's dressing room a couple of nights ago, he knew that part of the reason why Mei Ling voiced her thoughts out loud were to offer him some sort of comfort. Truth to be told, he was rather embarrassed for his sudden outburst in the meeting room as well. He should have known better to keep his cool.

"Well, at least it's all over and done with," he replied, not really wanting to talk about Tanaka Jirou anymore. "Though I must say, I didn't expect the entire board to attack Syaoran. How on earth did we miss that?"

"Yes, I didn't think they would go in that direction either," Yelan admitted. "By the way Xiao Lang, which client are you having lunch with today?"

"Nobody," Syaoran replied in offhand voice.

Yelan stopped in her tracks.

"But you said –"

"I lied. The meeting was turning out to be a waste of time," he said before turning to his secretary. "Naoko, tell Nishido that he can have the rest of the day off. I'll be driving myself home."

"Yes Sir. And which car will you be taking today, Mr. Li?" Naoko asked while opening a cabinet on the wall containing numerous car keys.

"The blue Jaguar," Syaoran told her while shrugging into his black coat.

"Where on earth are you going now Xiao Lang?" Yelan asked, mildly confused. Eriol and Mei Ling also looked at their cousin and wondered if he wanted them to accompany him as well.

"Out. I'll be back before two, mother," he said, putting in some documents in his briefcase. "Naoko, you know which calls are important. If it's one of the partners, direct them to Eriol. If the studio calls, Mei Ling will handle it."

"Hai. Consider it done," she said, giving him the keys to the Jaguar.

"Also, call Kurumi. Tell her I no longer need her services. Send her a bouquet of flowers. No roses – they're too personal. If she makes a fuss, call Cartier's. Tell them to deliver the diamond necklace that I bought earlier this week at her apartment."

Naoko's eyes widened and it took her a split second to regain her composure before quickly jotting down her boss's instructions on a legal pad. To be honest, she was rather surprised that Syaoran was already dumping his latest paramour. After all, he had only gone out with her for only less than two weeks. From what Naoko could calculate in her head, most of his mistresses have at least lasted a month. And as for his short flings, he never really kept in touch with them for more than a day or two. Nor did he give them extravagant present like jewelry for instance.

She wasn't the only one in awe though…

"You're already discarding her Syaoran? I thought you were planning to at least take Kurumi to Paris this Christmas." Mei Ling raised her eyebrow.

Syaoran shrugged his shoulders, "I changed my mind. She was starting to become a bore."

"That must be a new record for you." Eriol commented to which his cousin gave a sly grin.

"Do not tell me you're heading out to find yourself another conquest!" Yelan looked at her son in disbelief and followed him as Syaoran made his way to the elevator. "Xiao Lang, if you haven't noticed you are still under scrutiny here and if the media ever gets wind of what you're doing while you are on the bachelor show… Seriously! Think of the consequences for once!"

"Mother," Syaoran began in an exasperated tone, but Yelan quickly cut him off.

"I can't stop you from chasing after women. After all, you are a man and you certainly have needs. But I just wish you'd consider your actions first Xiao Lang," she said just as the elevator doors opened.

In response, Syaoran tuned his mother's last words out and pressed a tender kiss on the older woman's forehead. "I'll see you later mother. Eriol, I leave the rest to you. If there's an emergency, you know where to reach me."

Eriol nodded, a sign telling him not to worry. When the elevator doors closed with Syaoran in it, Eriol placed his arm around his aunt and led the distress woman back to his own office.

"Don't worry Auntie Yelan. Syaoran would never make a mistake that's completely irreparable."

"That's not something I want to hear, Eriol-kun."

"Well, if he does screw up big time, we could always send him to a missionary for his next punishment. Maybe devotion to God could cure him of his sexual appetite." Eriol joked.

"No, that wouldn't work," Yelan told him dolefully. "Knowing Xiao Lang, he'd probably be punished even more for seducing all the nuns instead."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Damn it!" Syaoran cursed for the thirtieth time that day. Just a little over an hour ago, he left the office in hopes of blowing off some steam at a bar that one of his friends had recommended. However, just as his luck would have it, he ended up getting lost in the downtown city of Tokyo instead. To make matters worst, he somehow found himself in the ghetto area of the city.

'Clearly, it wasn't such a wise decision to wander around a foreign country without your chauffer,' he thought.

Checking to see if his GPS was in fact working, Syaoran started to navigate through the system once again. After a few clicks here and there though, the screen simply kept on flashing that he had already arrived at his specified location.

"Stupid piece of crap," Syaoran muttered. "If I reached my destination, why the hell am I still sitting here by the curb?"

After checking his surroundings, he deliberated on whether to ask the locals for directions. It couldn't hurt. After all, it's not as though there were dubious-looking people around. From his past experiences, the Japanese associates of the Li Corporation have always been quite friendly to him before. So…

It should be fine…

_Right… _

Getting out of his car with his briefcase and a map on hand, Syaoran walked over to a large seemingly-bored male vendor by the sidewalk.

Seeing a rich businessman approach his stand, the man definitely could not believe his luck. He hadn't made any sales since the morning and now, Kami-sama has decided to bless him by giving him his first customer of the day. Quickly arranging the watches on the counter, he gave Syaoran the brightest smile which came out more of a strained one because of his crooked teeth and overall scary-looking face.

"Uh, hello there… Excuse me," Syaoran called out but the vendor automatically cut him off.

"Welcome, welcome! I know exactly what you're looking for Sir and you've definitely come to the right place!" the man said quickly going into business mode.

"Pardon me?" Syaoran looked at the man strangely, not understanding what he quite meant.

"Don't worry Sir, I have the perfect watch here just for you. Are you looking for something casual or dressy?" he asked (well, more like growled out).

"Oh no, I –" Syaoran tried to explain. However, the vendor interrupted him once again.

"Or perhaps you're looking for something that's out there. You know, one of those latest models," the man beamed at him expectantly.

In response, Syaoran gave the eager merchant a small smile and shook his head no uneasily. Really, what was he thinking in approaching an overenthusiastic vendor?

"Sorry, you misunderstand me. I didn't come here to purchase a watch."

"You didn't?" the man called out in disappointment; his hands already dropping to the side.

"No, actually, I just wanted to ask you for directions. I'm looking for a bar. It's called Ozone. It's a rather popular place." Syaoran explained already unfolding the map in his hands.

Hearing his words, an idea quickly formulated in the man's head. Well, if he can't make money off by persuading the young gentleman before him to buy his watches, then he must use other means. Brightening up, the merchant grinned at Syaoran mischievously and the latter couldn't help but feel slightly perturbed. Call it business instinct or whatever, but he knew that there was definitely something suspicious behind that other man's smile…

"Directions, huh?"

"Yes, so could you possibly tell me how to get there? I'm in a bit of a hurry and I only have a couple of minutes to spare." Syaoran told him while cautiously laying the map down on the counter. Perhaps, if he rushed the conversation along, his intuition would be proven wrong.

"Oh yes, I know where this Ozone is. In fact, I've been there myself," the vendor lied.

"Great!" Syaoran exclaimed.

"But directions aren't free, you know?" the man smirked and folded his arms across his chest.

Syaoran raised his eyebrow at the former's proud stance. Damn his intuition to oblivion. Why didn't he listen to it in the beginning?

"What's the catch?" he asked in a serious voice.

"I'll tell you how to get to wherever you want if you buy three watches," the man bargained.

"Nani?! You've got to be kidding me" Syaoran called out incredulously. "Three watches? How much are they?"

"Each one is 10,000 yen," the man told him untruthfully as he inflated the prices by 1000. Other means, right… "But since you're buying all of them, I'll give you a great deal. For all three, it's 25,000 yen."

"25,000 yen?! That's extortion!" Syaoran gave the merchant a deadly stare. Offhand, he could already tell that the entire set of merchandise was counterfeit. Picking up what appeared to be a Tommy Hilfiger watch, Syaoran saw that instead of the brand name engraved on the face, it said 'Timmy Hillfigure' in its place.

"These are fake," Syaoran pointed out in irritation.

"Not fake sir. All these watches here are what you call _unique_. Nothing like them anywhere else!" the man said.

'Nothing like them, alright!' Syaoran thought indignantly as he reached into his jacket's pocket for some money. Off all things, he seriously could not believe that his status had been reduced to buying imitations. Oh what would the tabloids say about the great Li Xiao Lang now? Pulling out several bills, he was about to pay the vendor when a mysterious hand pushed his money back to him.

"Huh?"

_"Ken-chan, are you up to your old tricks again?!" _a strange yet familiar voice said.

Looking up, he saw the mystery person hit the vendor with a rolled up newspaper on the head. Hard. Repeatedly. In response, the latter winced and rubbed the sore spot.

"Oww. 'Kura-chan!" the man called Ken cried out. "Stop it! Stop!"

_"You're always doing this Ken-chan? Why can't you just sell your watches like a normal person? You know, without any tricks whatsoever!"_ the voice reprimanded him. Syaoran tried to figure out who it belonged to but the person's baseball cap was pulled low over her face and his or her back was turned away from him.

"But –"

_"Honestly, I wonder how you've survived this past few years. What will you do without me?! One of these days, if the cops get a hold of what you're doing to your poor customers, you'll end up in a very big trouble."_ Sighing, the person turned an about face and bowed her head to Syaoran, _"Ah gomen ne (sorry). My friend here was being a jerk. He doesn't seem to know his position. Again, I apologize." _

Syaoran's eyes widened in surprise and he chuckled out in relief when he realized that the individual humbling their self before him was none other than –

"Kinomoto Sakura?"

Recognizing that smooth and cultured tone, Sakura immediately shot her head up and pointed her finger at him in shock, "You?! What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I was just in the neighbourhood, that's all." Syaoran fibbed, clearing his throat.

'This neighbourhood?' Sakura looked at him sceptically. What on earth would a rich man do in this part of Tokyo? Did she just enter a real twilight zone? And even more importantly, why on earth did her heart skip a beat when she heard his voice?

Syaoran saw disbelief written all over Sakura's face and realized that his lie didn't work. Not that it surprised him. No. Thinking about it now, his excuse was such an overused lie after all.

"All right, I'm lost and I need directions." Syaoran admitted reluctantly and for some reason, he felt rather embarrassed about it.

Sakura saw the slight blush spread across his cheeks and thought how cute he looked just now. 'Hoe, how kawaii (cute),' she said to herself. Seriously, it's not everyday when you see the sexiest and manliest-looking man displaying his soft side to you. Now, why couldn't he show this face more to the media?

Suddenly, Sakura was taken back to reality when she saw where her train of thought was going.

Did she just think he was _cute_?

Did she just think he was _sexy_?

What the hell was _wrong_ with her?

Did she not _hate_ this guy?!

"Oh, well, I'm bad at directions. Ken-chan can help you though so see you later!" Sakura said hastily and started to walk away from him, utterly mortified.

Confused by her change in behaviour and slightly curious about her red face, Syaoran tried to stop her from leaving. And frankly, he didn't want to ask that Ken man for help again. Who knows how much he'll ask for next?

"What – Wait! Look, I'm just trying to find to this building. It's called Ozone. Maybe you know where it is?"

"Ah, never heard of it. Sorry." Sakura told him, without glancing at Syaoran.

"Ok, well then, can't you just tell me how to get to the Li Corporation building from here? It's close to Studio 24, so…"

"No, sorry… Don't know how to get there… I'm really late for work so you just have to fend for yourself." Sakura quickened her pace and distanced herself away from him.

Groaning at her reluctance to help, Syaoran ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Honestly, what was up with that woman? One minute she was all happy to assist a stranger, and the next, when she found out who he really was, Kinomoto Sakura wanted nothing to do with him whatsoever.

What a strange girl… Beautiful, yet strange…

Normally, women buzzed around him like bees on honey, but not _her_. It was interesting, all right. No… _She_ was the one who was interesting… Che… Maybe if he asked her out on a date right now, she might just take pity on his helpless situation and escort him back to Li Corp. He refused to believe that a local like her would not know where it was especially, since she'd been to Studio 24 too… And who knows, maybe along the way, that Kinomoto would succumb to his charms.

Lunch plus dessert plus hotel…

'Xiao Lang,' A stern voice called inside him. 'What the hell are you thinking about?! You have bigger problems right now!'

Shaking his head away from any more licentious thoughts, Syaoran felt the inside of his pockets for his cellphone. Now he really had no choice but to call Eriol and ask for his cousin to pick up. He seriously didn't want to do that though. Knowing Eriol's snobby attitude, who knows what kind of lecture his cousin would bring him for being caught in this part of town. Realizing that he had left his mobile back in his vehicle, Syaoran turned around and was about to approach the car when the sight in front of him stopped him in mid-step.

In disbelief, he found an empty space where his Jaguar had been previously sitting.

No, no, _no_…

This wasn't fair!

"DAMN IT!" Syaoran shouted out loud for the thirty-_first_ time that day.

Hearing his angry curse, Sakura looked back at him in worry and tried to figure out what was wrong. It didn't take long though…

"My car's gone!" Sakura heard him moan incredulously.

* * *

**End of Chapter 5**

**Authors Note: **Thank you once again for all the reviews. Sorry for the long wait on this chapter. I was bombarded with so many midterms just last month and this month as well. I did try to make this chapter extra long though and I even introduced a new character, Matsumoto Ryuu. He'll play a somewhat pivotal role in the story but it might be way later on than what everyone else suspects. Ah, I'm rambling here and I'm giving away more than I should really have. Anyhow, I was planning to make this chapter center on Syaoran and Sakura but I didn't give them much interaction until the very end. Originally, chapter 5 included a lot of S+S interface but I found that that part would be much better suited in the next chapter. I think everyone could already guess what would happen with Syaoran's car stolen and Sakura's affinity towards helpless people.

Also, I'll be bringing up more familiar characters from CCS along the way. In this chapter, Naoko was shown as Syaoran's secretary and, unlike CCS, she hasn't met Sakura or Tomoyo yet. She will be introduced to the former later on though and she's a possible recurring character (though she won't exactly be on Sakura's good side in the beginning LOL). And last chapter, Sasaki Rika was also made one of the contestants. Let's just say I have an important job for Rika in the next few parts of the story J.

Anyhow, stay tuned for more! I promise to bring a lot more excitement in the upcoming chapters! We'll be coming back to the bachelor show and you definitely don't want to miss what's going to happen next! An accident, a kiss, and new friendships are made.


	6. Only On Sundays

**Disclaimer: **The author does not own Card Captor Sakura or anything affiliated with it. She only has rights to the plot of the story and its AU characters.

**Summary:** Famous fashion designer and Daidouji Toy Company heiress, Daidouji Tomoyo, has just been dumped by her actor ex-boyfriend. What's worst, he called Tomoyo an emotional abuser in front of millions of Japanese people. To soften the blow to her reputation, Tomoyo's best friend, Kinomoto Sakura, hatched a plan for Tomoyo to appear in a new reality show "Are You The One?" and hoped that the former would make a great comeback out of it. All seemed fine at the beginning, but trouble ensues when Sakura catches Li Syaoran, the bachelor of the show's, attention instead. To make matters complicated, Sakura's resistance against his charms also deteriorate over the course of the show. Will she finally succumb to the passion that Li's kisses promise or will she stay true to her friend who has been with her since childhood?

* * *

**Say That You Love Me**

**Chapter 6: Only On Sundays… **

* * *

"What happened to your car?" Sakura asked him in exasperation. 

"Bloody hell, it's gone! It was here before! Damn it!" Syaoran glared at the vacant spot by the curb. With the day he'd been having, he was already frustrated beyond belief. Having his car taken away was just the cherry on a cake. "This can't be happening. My car can't have driven by its self! It was stolen!"

'Yeah, no kidding genius,' Sakura thought sarcastically but decided not to voice her opinion out loud. Seeing his rather pathetic form, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

"You know, you can always take the bus back to your office… Or the train for that matter," she pointed out.

Syaoran, in response, looked at her oddly before muttering something under his breath.

"I'm sorry?" Sakura strained her ear to hear him. Again he said something incomprehensible and Sakura could see the back of his neck already turning red. The telltale flush sparked some curiosity within Sakura and she wondered what could have possibly caused the usually confident Li Syaoran to fluster. "I still can't hear you."

"I don't know how," Syaoran mumbled in a more audible manner.

"Don't know how? What on earth are you talking about?" Sakura asked, confused by his words.

"I don't know," Syaoran stared at the ground hard, hoping that it would somehow just open up and swallow him, "– how to take the train or the bus. I don't know how it works, alright!"

"You've got to be kidding me." Sakura said, appalled by his sudden revelation.

Syaoran shook his head and sighed. "I suppose I could take a cab back."

"Not a chance of that happening here." Sakura blurted out as she casually examined her surroundings.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, because…" Sakura held her arms out as if to state the obvious. "Taxi drivers are afraid of coming to this part of the city. It's too risky for them. They end up getting robbed… Or worst, shot at…"

Hearing her explanation, Syaoran chuckled nervously. Was she trying to be funny?

"You're not serious, right?"

"Does it look like I'm kidding?" Sakura raised her eyebrow. Damn spoiled, rich men. The word poverty doesn't seem to exist in their vocabulary. "Look, this is a pretty sketchy neighbourhood and I _obviously_ can't leave you here. So why don't you just come with me?"

"What? Are you planning to sell me?" Syaoran asked her, slightly suspicious. After all that she's told him, he had the right to be cautious.

"Haha, very funny." Sakura said sarcastically. "I meant, you can stay at my work for a while and even use our phone to call the cops about your car. I don't advise you to have someone pick you up here especially if you don't want them held at gunpoint."

Syaoran nodded in understanding.

"I guess I don't have much of a choice anyway," he said as Sakura grabbed his hand and dragged him to a plain building across the street. All the while, Syaoran wondered what kind of place Sakura worked at, with her being in a dangerous environment and all. What on earth was she doing in a place like this anyway? Surely, she can't be some sort of criminal… Right?

His thoughts were cut short when the latter opened the door and the first words that he heard were,

"KINOMOTO SAKURA, YOU ARE LATE."

Sakura winced, hearing her manager's sharp words in the air. Don't misunderstand; Yuki was one of the best employers she ever had. She was easy to get along with and she always treated her workers equally. Moreover, she gave her employees as many breaks as they wanted so long as they did their work. The only thing she did not tolerate however was lateness. According to Yuki, time was of the essence because every second, every minute, and every hour of time in this society represented money.

"It's past two in the afternoon already! My goodness, you could have at least called!" the older woman lectured her.

"I'm so sorry Yuki. Things just happened on the way here." Sakura apologized profusely.

"Things happened?! When things happen along the way, you know what I do Kinomoto? I ignore them! Especially if they're not important!"

"Gomen (Sorry). Honto ni gomen nasai (I am so sorry)." Sakura repeatedly bowed her head.

"Kinomoto, you being late today isn't even the major issue. The fact of the matter is, you haven't arrived to work on time these past few weeks." Yuki scolded her.

"I'm really, really sorry."

Yuki looked at her guilt-ridden employee and some of her anger quickly ebbed away. Despite Sakura's tardiness, she was still her favourite worker after all. Yuki could still remember the day when that girl begged her for a job in her first year of university. At first, she had been very reluctant to hire someone who had no experience in hair design and cosmetology field but Sakura proved to be too persistent for her taste. Yuki recalled how the latter visited the salon everyday prior to her getting hired just to convince those passing by on the streets to get a haircut from the shop. After that, she began to do menial jobs like cleaning the entire store or running errands for free. After a month and a half of her loitering around, Yuki finally relented and took Sakura as part-timer in the salon. As she worked her way through school, Sakura not only became Yuki's employee, the two of them also became friends.

"Is there something wrong Sakura? Has the hospital been hounding you again?" Yuki asked in a slightly nicer tone.

Sakura shook her head and smiled uncomfortably. "No, no… It's nothing like that. Everything's fine."

Yuki stared at the younger woman hard. Seeing no suspicious signs on her face, she redirected her attention to the man beside Sakura.

"Who's this?" Yuki nodded to Syaoran's direction.

"Oh, eto… Umm… Li Syaoran, this is Yuki, my manager. Yuki, Li-_san_," Sakura forced herself to say the 'san' part.

Yuki's jaw dropped when Sakura finished the introductions, "Maji! (No way!)"

"Pleasure to meet you madam," Syaoran took the middle-aged woman's hand and placed a butterfly kiss on top of it. Yuki immediately turned red for receiving such attention and Sakura seriously thought she was going to swoon. "I'm sorry for causing your employee here to be late. You see, I was in a very big dilemma; I had gotten lost in the city and while asking for directions, my car was stolen. Thankfully, Kinomoto-san here happened to pass by and offer me some help."

"You – you two know each other?" Yuki pointed at Sakura and then at Syaoran.

"Not really," Sakura said at the same time that Syaoran responded, "Yes, quite well in fact."

Yuki looked at the pair of them oddly as Sakura glared at Syaoran while the latter simple grinned at her in return. Well now, wasn't this interesting? From the way those two were behaving, Yuki couldn't help but wonder if there was anything going on between them.

"Ah, Yuki," Sakura called out, suddenly remembering why she brought Syaoran to the salon in the first place, "Do you mind if he used the phone? It's just that, I already promised him that he could."

Yuki shook her head.

"Oh, not at all! I don't mind in the least," the manager said, already handing the cordless phone over to Syaoran.

"Thank you. I appreciate it," he smiled at her in gratitude.

Sakura watched as he walked over to the corner to make his call. Seeing the direction of her gaze, Yuki nudged her by the elbows and decided to tease her about it.

"So when were you planning to tell me that you're friends with the famous Li Syaoran?" the older woman asked in a low voice.

"I'm not!" Sakura whispered back in indignation. Yuki raised her eyebrow in return. Did she honestly expect her to believe that? Realizing that Yuki's doubt would not be washed away, Sakura was finally led to make some sort of admission. "Okay, fine! I'm acquainted with him but not that well."

"From where?" Yuki asked curiously.

"Long story. Anyway, I think he's finished with his phone call." Sakura motioned her head to Syaoran who approached the pair calmly.

Syaoran gave the cordless phone back to Yuki and thanked her again for lending it to him.

"How did it go?" Sakura asked him, referring to his call.

"Quite well actually… The officer told me that they'd get right on it. With the GPS system installed in the car, he said that there should be no problems finding it." He replied, leaning against the counter.

"That's great." Sakura smiled and was inwardly pleased that she was able to help him out. "So, when are they picking you up?"

"Sorry?" Syaoran looked at her in bewilderment.

"I'm assuming you asked the police to come pick you up." Sakura stated as she walked over to the broom closet, ready to get some work done for the day. Not many people visited the salon on Sundays so she usually used this day to clean or stock the entire place up. Now where should she start? The windows, perhaps? Or maybe the counters.

"No, actually I didn't ask them for a ride." Syaoran replied.

Sakura quickly whipped her head around to face him after hearing his response. "Why not?!"

"Having the police to escort me back to the office or even my home wouldn't be such a good idea. With the show going on, the paparazzi have been all over the place. It would be social suicide if the cameras were to see me in a back of a squad car even if I'm only using it as a means of transport." Syaoran explained.

"Good point but how exactly are you getting home or to wherever you need to be?" Sakura asked slowly. Deep down, she already had an inkling of what he would say next but prayed to God that that feeling was wrong.

In return, Syaoran gave her a Cheshire grin and simply uttered one word, "You."

"WHAT?!" Sakura dropped the broom and dustpan she was holding. "Me?!"

"Well, like you said, it wouldn't be safe to bring my driver in this neighbourhood nor do I have a chance of getting a cab from this place. I don't know how to use the train or the bus so that option is out of the picture. The police said that my car will most likely be taken to the impound lot by tomorrow. And I've already gave you the reason why the cops themselves can't give me a ride."

"So how do I fit in all of this?" Sakura raised her eyebrow in question.

"I was hoping you could take me back to Li Corp. after your shift. You do know your way around Tokyo, correct?" Syaoran said.

"Nani?! Why should I?" Sakura looked at him sceptically.

"Because you're a good person and I know that deep down you desperately want to help me," he told her coyly.

"No way! I don't care! I already helped you enough! If you don't want those blasted reporters taking _your_ picture _in _a police car, then that's _your_ problem." Sakura picked up the broom from the ground and started sweeping the floor harshly. This man! Honestly! It was his fault that he got lost in the first place! And now, after causing her to be late for work, he had the nerve to waste her time after her shift as well. He sure had a lot of gall!

Syaoran sighed. He knew that persuading her to help him wouldn't be easy. Truthfully, he didn't understand why Sakura was so reluctant to help him. What could possibly make him so vile in her eyes?

"It would only take a few minutes," he said.

"No." Sakura bluntly refused.

Yuki looked at the pair and couldn't help but feel sympathetic to Syaoran's plight. If she were free tonight, she would gladly have offered him her assistance. Unfortunately, she had another appointment to attend to and as such, she would have to rely on Sakura to give him a hand.

"Come on, Sakura! Just help the poor guy out!" Yuki urged her.

"Him? Poor?!" Sakura pointed her finger at Syaoran as if she were accusing him of some horrendous crime. "I hardly think a person who owns a multi-billion dollar company is poor!"

"Demo (But) –" Yuki attempted to reason but Sakura quickly cut her off.

"If he has money, then he can surely find a way out of this!" Sakura huffed. "Are rich men always this frustrating? Why can't you people do anything by your selves?!"

Syaoran frowned. Really now! She spoke as though it were his fault for being born into a prominent family. Why on earth was she sensitive about money anyway? Judging from the way she was acting, he should chastise her for being such a snob.

'I've had enough of this,' Syaoran thought irritably.

"I'm not asking you to do it for free," he finally said. "I'm willing to pay you for your services if you would just help me."

At the mention of money, Sakura immediately ceased her complaining. Now this was rather unexpected. The famous Li Syaoran was willing to pay _her_ to act as an escort. Who would've thought? Well… The offer sure did sound tempting. And who knows how just much he was willing to pay her! Perhaps he would even let her decide on the price.

Sakura shook her head.

No! Yada!

She shouldn't think even about it!

Accepting his money would mean that she was just as bad as Ken-chan. Besides, she had better things to do after her shift. Why waste a perfectly nice Sunday evening on a rich jerk like him?

On the other hand…

Sakura glanced at the mountain of envelopes sitting the counter. She did need the extra cash to pay her bills. A couple of thousand yens would be of big help… It couldn't hurt to accept now, right?

"Fine! Fine!" Sakura surrendered, while massaging her temples warily. "My God! Are you always this high-maintenance?!"

Syaoran smirked confidently, though deep down inside, he was sighing in relief. There was a five percent chance of Sakura declining his offer but thankfully she hadn't. And they say you can't buy people with money!

"Apparently, only on Sundays," he replied to her comment impishly.

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"Oh Sakura, I forgot to tell you. You'll have to close the salon tonight." Yuki said as she shrugged into her winter coat.

"Eh? Aren't you staying?" Sakura asked her, as she wiped down the counter clean.

"No. Saori-san called this morning. Apparently, the hairdresser for her daughter's wedding cancelled on them." Yuki explained. "Something about food poisoning… Can you believe that?! How insensitive! That man should've known better than to eat something that could make him sick!"

Sakura stared at her manager in disbelief. As if the man really expected to be ill!

"Anyway, we don't have any appointments booked for the afternoon so you can close early if you want. Here are the keys," Yuki handed them to her. "Make sure you don't forget to lock the cabinets and the washroom. Oh and remember to deposit the money from the register at the bank."

"Right," Sakura nodded her head and mentally took note of the instructions given to her.

"If anything happens, you know my cell number or you can just call one of the girls." Yuki said, already walking over to the door. "Or if things gets really bad, you can just call 119 (A/N: Similar to 911 in North America)."

"Hai (Yes)! Hai (Yes)!" Sakura replied though she desperately wanted to roll her eyes at the last piece of advice.

"What else? Ah! I didn't finish stocking the shelf. I think the only boxes I haven't opened so far are the conditioners. If you have time, do you mind finishing it up?"

"Not at all," Sakura said. "I was planning to take care of it anyway."

"Great," Yuki's brows furrowed and paused for a moment, trying to recall any other tasks to give her employee. "Remember to take out the garbage before you go and feed the fish, will you?"

Sakura looked at the aquarium by the side and assured the older woman not to worry.

"Well, I think that's everything," Yuki said as she put on her gloves. Noticing Syaoran leaning off at the side, Yuki smiled at him and bade him a pleasant goodbye. "Mr. Li, again, it was nice meeting you."

"Likewise," Syaoran replied, bowing his head in a respectful manner.

Turning back to Sakura, Yuki advised her to look after their guest now before bidding her a pleasant farewell as well.

"Do be careful going home, alright?" Yuki called out as she waved her hand.

"Hai (Yes)!" Sakura shouted after her, watching the older woman get in to her own car. "I will!"

Seeing Yuki drive off into the road, Sakura closed the door behind her and went back to her chores. Thank goodness it was Sunday and that there were hardly any customers who visited the salon on this particular day. Picking up the broom, she began to sweep the floor and hummed a tune all the while. From the side, Syaoran watched her go about without a care in the world, a silly smile plastered on her face. What a contrast from the glaring look that she seemed to have reserved for him alone. When she smiled, she looked a great deal younger than she really was which was perhaps why he thought Sakura was a high school upon their first meeting. But as she had already revealed to him last week, she was a perfectly capable twenty-three-year-old woman.

"Alone at last," Syaoran said from his corner.

As if suddenly remembering that she wasn't the only person in the salon, Sakura shot him the all-familiar glare and continued to do her chores. How could she possibly forget that the insufferable git was still there?

"Need some help?" Syaoran asked, attempting to form some sort of conversation.

"No!" Sakura quickly replied. "No, thank you! Just stay over there!"

God knows what this pervert would do if he came any closer to her. Though she wasn't as pretty as any of his previous girlfriends, she was still a woman and any person of her gender was a victim to Li Syaoran's charms. Best keep her distance and remain with her virtue intact!

Clueless to her reservations, Syaoran simply shrugged his shoulder and sat down by the counter. Though he would never ask why out loud, it bothered him that Sakura was treating him with such antagonism. Have they been acquainted before? Have they dated? Was she one of those ex-girlfriends that he dumped? A one-night stand? Syaoran racked his brain for some sort of logical explanation but found none instead. It just didn't make any sense! Despite the fact that their first meeting was rather unusual, it wasn't as though he did anything bad or irreparable towards her. From what he could surmise, he did nothing that would warrant such treatment.

Sakura felt Syaoran's gaze on her and couldn't help but feel that prickly feeling at the back of her neck. Now what could possibly be so interesting that it had captured Li Syaoran's attention?

"What? What are you looking at?" Sakura asked, annoyed.

"Nothing. I was just looking." Syaoran told her calmly.

"Don't! It's distracting!" Sakura said.

Syaoran smirked inwardly. At least he wasn't the only one heckled by the situation. Seeing Sakura's stiff movements, it just proved that she was as aware of his presence as she was to him. Curious woman, indeed…

"By the way, Kinomoto-san, I've been meaning to ask… What did Yuki-san mean when she said that the hospital's been hounding you? Are you ill?" Syaoran asked; his brow furrowed in concern at the last part.

"Oh, that. I'm fine. That's nothing." Sakura told him in an offhand voice.

"It doesn't seem like nothing." Syaoran pointed out.

Sakura in return stared at him hard. This man was really weird! Here they were, alone in the salon, and instead of flirting with her (which was what she had been expecting for him to do), he was asking about something serious instead. Maybe he wasn't as dangerous as he seemed.

Noticing Sakura's silence, Syaoran took it as a sign of hesitation and realized that he must be intruding on personal matters. "Sorry… I didn't mean to be rude."

Sakura shook her head gently and threw Syaoran an odd look. "No, no. Don't apologize. I just wasn't expecting you to ask about that."

"Why? Were you anticipating me to seduce you instead?" Syaoran teased but frowned when Sakura turned red and looked away guiltily. "You were."

"Well, it's not as though you've talked to me before without using any cheesy pick-up lines." Sakura shot back, though deep down inside, she was rather embarrassed by her train of thought.

"I don't use cheesy pick-up lines!" Syaoran said in an offended voice. "I would never stoop so low as to pick up a woman using someone else's words."

"Yeah! Right!" Sakura told him mockingly.

"God, what is with you?" Syaoran finally snapped at her high-and-mighty attitude. There was only so much insult that a person could take. "From the moment you've met me, you've been nothing but a total bitch! What did I ever do to you?"

"What's with _me_?!" Sakura repeated in outrage at being called such a foul name. Surely, that was uncalled for! "What's with _you_?! You say you don't use any pick up lines? Then what was that all that about in the elevator last week? Hmm? The part where you said I was the most beautiful and exquisite thing in this world?"

Honestly, Syaoran didn't know whether he should be insulted that Sakura thought his words were cheesy or flattered that she clearly remembered them.

"Well, it's true! You are one of the prettiest girls I've ever seen! Or at least I thought so when you seemed normal!" He retorted.

"Don't feed me bullshit like that! I've seen enough chick-flicks to last me a lifetime." Sakura put her hands on her hips.

Syaoran looked at Sakura in disbelief. This woman was unbelievably impossible to please! Here he was, paying her the ultimate compliment and all she could do was snap at him.

"Believe what you want!" Syaoran told her in a tired exasperated voice. There really was no point in arguing with someone so stubborn.

Sakura was about to say something else when their banter was suddenly interrupted by the bell ringing from the door.

"Hello?! Anybody home?" a soft voice called.

"Ah, Chiharu! What brings you here?" Sakura looked at her friend and the little boy hiding behind the latter in surprise.

"Sakura-chan, I need your help!" Chiharu said in a desperate tone. She sounded as though she was nearly in tears. "Takashi's not home and the restaurant asked me to work today. I can't say no; I've already missed work too many times. The problem is I can't find anyone to baby-sit for Daisuke here on such short notice. I –"

"Chiharu… Chiharu!" Sakura held her friend's hands to calm her down. "Say no more. You can leave him here with me."

"Oh, thank you! Thank you so much! I owe you plenty!" Chiharu said in a breathless voice.

"It's alright. I love having Daisuke around me anyway," Sakura bent down to the little boy's level and held her hands face up. "Give me five, Daisuke."

The five-year-old boy squealed and repeatedly slapped Sakura's hands. Kawaii (Cute)!

Suddenly sensing that they weren't the only ones in the room, Chiharu pointed at Syaoran's quiet direction. "Who's that? Your new boyfriend?"

"Oh yuck no!" Sakura raised her hands up.

"Hey now Kinomoto-san, don't be rude." Syaoran said good-naturedly. If he still felt annoyed towards Sakura, he made sure not to show it in the presence of her friend. "Hi there, I'm Li Syaoran. A _friend_ of Kinomoto-san here."

Like Yuki, Chiharu's jaw dropped. "The famous Li Syaoran?! How on earth do you two know each other?"

Sakura couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu. Haven't they been through an introduction similar to this before?

"We don't," Sakura began but Syaoran quickly interjected.

"Through self-defence classes… I was really impressed with the moves that Kinomoto-san here showed me." Syaoran said, though Sakura could see a smile lurking at the corner of his lips.

"I didn't know you take self-defence lessons," Chiharu said.

"I – I…"

Before Sakura could complete her sentence, Chiharu let out a strangled shout when she looked down at her watch and saw that she was already late for work. "Oh crap, I'm late. I have to go! Thank you again 'Kura-chan! I promise, I'll do something for you in return."

"Chiharu-chan, it's okay. Really! It's fine with me! Just get going, alright!"

"Yes, yes. Okay! Bye Daisuke. Come here and give okaa-san a kiss." She bent down to hug her son and received a light peck from him in return. "Thanks again 'Kura! I'll see you guys later! Nice meeting you Li-san!"

"The pleasure's all mine." Syaoran said and watched as Sakura's friend stumbled out the door as quickly as she had come through it.

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"Do you mind?" Sakura asked, motioning her head to where Daisuke was. The little boy seemed to be having fun with one of the salon chairs as he twirled himself around it.

"Not really." Syaoran replied and pretended to examine an abstract painting on the wall in a bored fashion.

Sakura sighed. Since Chiharu left, Syaoran had been giving her the cold shoulder and although she would have welcomed it before, his last words to her had been nagging her since. Maybe Syaoran had a point. Perhaps she was being mean to him for no apparent reason. "Umm, do you mind if I ask you a favour?"

Syaoran remained silent and waited for Sakura to continue.

"As much I hate to say this, I need your help." Syaoran turned to look at her and raised his eyebrow. "Could you entertain Daisuke for me? I still have some work left to do and it's obvious that I can't watch over him until I finish."

Syaoran shrugged. He supposed it was better than doing nothing…

"It doesn't matter to me," Syaoran replied as he approached the little boy.

"A-Arigatou." Sakura said gratefully. "Hey Daisuke, come here for a second."

The little boy hopped off of the revolving chair and trotted over to where Sakura and Syaoran were standing.

"Li – I mean, Syaoran 'Ni-chan here's going to play with you. Is that okay?" Sakura told him as she bent down to Daisuke's level.

"Eh?" Daisuke looked at Sakura with disappointed eyes. "But I… But, but Sakura 'Ne-chan promised to play with me!"

"It will only be for a little while. Sakura 'Ne-chan just has to finish her work. After that, I'll play with you as much as you want." Sakura told him and ruffled the little boy's hair affectionately. "Don't worry. I'll still be around."

In response, Daisuke nodded his head and quietly took Syaoran's hand. It can't be helped. Mom did warn him that Sakura 'Ne-chan might be busy and that he shouldn't bother her if she was. Syaoran saw how upset the little boy was and decided to cheer him up a little.

"So Daisuke, what's your favourite show?" he asked the boy gently.

Daisuke glanced up at Syaoran and in a shy voice said, "Power Rangers."

'Amazing. That show is still around then?' Syaoran thought. Out loud, he said, "That's my favourite show too!"

Daisuke's eyes widened hearing the older man's confession. Not many people watch Power Rangers nowadays and some of his friends at school even made fun of the show. That was why, he was really happy to hear that someone who looked as cool as Syaoran 'Ni-chan loved the show too.

"Really?" Daisuke looked at Syaoran in awe.

"Hai! Hai! So who's your favourite ranger?" he asked the little toddler who now appeared excited to talk to him.

"Red Ranger!" Daisuke said in a happier voice.

"Same here! If you like, I could show you some of Red Ranger's moves."

"Could you? Please?"

"Hai! Hai!"

From the distance, Sakura continued on with her chores. Every now and then, she would glance at the other two to see if they were doing alright. Even though it was her who asked Syaoran in the first place, she couldn't help but wonder how the latter was with children. A playboy like that, did he have any experience with younger kids?

After a few minutes, her worries were put to rest when Syaoran showed himself to be perfectly capable of taking care of Daisuke. In fact, the two of them seemed to be having fun with Syaoran teaching the little boy some martial arts moves and then playing a game of rock, paper, and scissors with him. By five o'clock in the afternoon, the pair seemed to be enjoying each other's company that they didn't notice Sakura coming up to join their group.

"All done!" she announced as she picked up Daisuke in her arms. The little boy squealed at being lifted up and hugged Sakura in return. Sakura couldn't help but giggle at his reaction. "Aww. Did you miss me?"

Daisuke nodded his head feverishly, while Syaoran watched the scene from the corner. He could tell that Daisuke adored Sakura and that the latter felt the same way. If Sakura were to have any children in the future, Syaoran had no doubts that she would make a fine, loving mother someday.

"Are you hungry Daisuke?" Sakura asked while rummaging through the grocery bag that she had brought with her. Taking out three cups of noodles, Sakura put Daisuke down on the counter to get some hot water ready. "You're in luck because I have your favourite noodles right here."

Daisuke clapped his hands in excitement and watched as Sakura Ne-chan prepared their meal in the salon's mini kitchen.

Once the noodles were ready, Sakura picked Daisuke up from the counter and sat him down at the more comfortable couches for customers. After attending to Daisuke's needs, Sakura then stood up and walked over to where Syaoran was standing.

"Here," Sakura said and handed over the third cup of noodles to Syaoran.

"Thank you." Syaoran said in surprise. Truth to be told, he wasn't expecting Sakura to offer him some food. And of course, he was quite grateful for the gesture – because of the stolen car incident, he missed lunch and he was rather hungry.

Sakura nodded and was about to leave him alone when she suddenly stopped in her tracks. Seeing Syaoran with Daisuke earlier, Sakura couldn't help but feel that she misjudged him. Also, after spending the past few hours by herself, she had time to think about her actions. Li Syaoran had been right. She was a _bitch_ to him even though he was only flirting with her.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly that Syaoran almost didn't hear her.

"Pardon?" Syaoran looked at her and was slightly dumbfounded at her change in behaviour.

"My action towards you… Today… They were inexcusable. I – I'm sorry." Sakura apologized in a more audible tone.

Syaoran watch a flustered Sakura shuffling her feet and couldn't help but smile. From Sakura's actions, one could tell that it took a lot of effort for Sakura to admit that she was wrong.

"It's forgotten. Let's not worry about it anymore." Syaoran said.

"Demo (But) –"

"It's fine."

Sakura looked at Syaoran in astonishment. She couldn't believe that the latter accepted her apology so quickly and without giving her any difficulty whatsoever. With him being this nice, she felt even worse.

"Umm, you know, I think you'd be more comfortable if you sat down." Sakura said, motioning over to where Daisuke was sitting.

Syaoran nodded and followed Sakura.

"So are these noodles safe to eat? I mean, after all, they came in those containers. Aren't they a bit dirty? And you used tap water, right?" he said.

Sakura looked at him in disbelief. And to think that she was beginning to feel guilty for treating him harshly earlier! "Baka (Idiot)! Just eat it!"

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"So you never really told me about what the hospital deal was." Syaoran said while sitting down in the passenger seat of Sakura's car.

It was already past eight in the evening. They originally planned to leave earlier but Sakura still had to wait for Chiharu to pick Daisuke up from the salon. Not that the pair minded, of course. Daisuke was, after all, a very cute kid.

"Oh that… Well, my dad's in the hospital." Sakura answered Syaoran's question, not taking her eyes off the road.

"What's wrong with him?" Syaoran asked.

"Otou-san (Dad) has lung cancer. He's been undergoing treatment since the end of my high school year."

Syaoran's breath was caught in his throat upon hearing Sakura reveal this part about her. End of her high school year... At that age, all Syaoran ever worried about was the pressure of what school to go to.

"Is he getting any better?"

"If he was, do you think he'd still be in the hospital?" Sakura rolled her eyes as she turned to a corner.

'I guess that means he's not…' Syaoran thought.

"I suppose that was a stupid question," he commented in return.

A moment of silence passed between them, with Syaoran staring at Sakura rather curiously. Something still did not make sense. Her father being sick definitely did not explain why the hospital was hounding his daughter. Surely, Sakura had some people to help her through such a difficult time.

"So do you have any siblings?"

"No. I'm an only child." Sakura said. "Though I would have loved to have a younger brother or sister…"

Syaoran smiled at her wishful thinking. As a kid he remembered yearning for the exact same thing. Playing alone in the Li Mansion was definitely one of the saddest memories he had about his childhood. Not that he played much though… To keep him busy, Syaoran's parents indulged him by forcing him to join as many activities as he wanted – martial arts, horseback riding, archery, soccer, tennis, etc. By the time he was fourteen-years-old, he was already a black-belt in karate and already an accomplished horseman. Besides, he wasn't completely lonely. His cousins Eriol and Mei Ling were there to keep him company sometimes. However, he only saw them on weekends because, like him self, they were also coerced in participating extra-curricular activities.

"And what about your mother?" Syaoran asked. "Is she taking care of your father full-time now?"

Upon hearing him ask about her mother, Sakura's grip on the steering wheel suddenly tightened. This move of course did not escape Syaoran's attention and Syaoran wondered whether he had asked something inappropriate again.

"She passed away when I was a little girl." Sakura told him in a slightly steady voice.

"I'm sorry." Syaoran said sympathetically.

Sakura shook her head. "Why should you be? It's not as though her death was your fault."

"Well I –"

"Anyway, everything's fine. The hospital isn't pestering me anymore. That sort of thing only happened while I was still in university. I guess they were worried that I wouldn't be able to pay for Otou-san's (Dad's) treatment. Because of school, I couldn't make enough money to manage the bills. But ever since I graduated, let's just say my financial status has gotten a whole lot better."

Syaoran continued to look at Sakura oddly. Though she had explained all of this in a calm manner, Syaoran could detect a slight bitterness in her voice. No wonder Sakura had been so antagonistic with him earlier. She must have thought he was a spoiled rich brat and Syaoran couldn't deny that fact. He was used to people waiting on him his entire life and for much of it, everything was handed to him on a silver platter. Syaoran couldn't even begin to imagine just how hard Sakura must have had it back then.

"You went to university?" Syaoran asked trying to change the topic of their conversation.

Unfortunately, his pursuit of another subject was done rather carelessly and Syaoran found himself under Sakura's glare yet again. The latter misinterpreted Syaoran's intentions and had taken his question as a sign of snobbery.

"Yes, I went to university!" she replied hotly. "For your information, Li Syaoran, many people can now attend universities without using their parents' money."

"Gomen (Sorry). I didn't mean to sound insulting. It's just that not a lot of people, who have heavy responsibilities like your self, could manage all of that and still acquire an education at the same time." Syaoran explained while looking out at the window.

"Oh…" Sakura did not know what to say at Syaoran's indirect compliment. The way he said it had been so sincere, so honest, that Sakura felt like she really did accomplish something great.

"Even so, it must've been tough." Syaoran said.

"Well, yeah. Imagine being late for class sometimes and your teachers making you kneel outside like a junior high student. Or when your professors hit you over the head with the board eraser as punishment when they catch you sleeping through their lecture…" Sakura told him with a laughing voice.

Syaoran chuckled at Sakura's attempt to lighten up the mood. Reaching over to Sakura's hand on the shift stick, Syaoran patted it and enclosed her hand with his.

'Hoe…' Sakura could feel the warmth of Syaoran's hand and couldn't help but blush at their close contact. Thank goodness, it was dark or else Syaoran would see just how red her face was. Strangely though, she did not dislike having Syaoran's hand on hers. In fact, it felt like he was lending her some of his strength and for that, Sakura was somewhat thankful.

The two then spent the rest of the ride in a comfortable silence.

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"We're here." Sakura said in a strange voice as she parked her car by the Li Corp. entrance. The security guards by the revolving doors were probably wondering what an old car like hers was doing in front of their building. Sakura can't wait to see their faces when they spot their boss coming out of her vehicle. And Syaoran thought this was better than him coming out of a squad car!

"Yeah, we are. How much do I owe you?" Syaoran said, already reaching into his back pocket.

Sakura shook her head. "No. It's okay. Don't worry about. You watched Daisuke for much of the afternoon. That'll be your payment to me."

"Are you sure?" Syaoran asked. After hearing about Sakura's difficulties in life, Syaoran felt that she needed money now more than ever. "I did impose on you. Giving you something for the gas is the least I could do."

"No, it's fine." Sakura reassured him. When she was young, her father always reminded her that when someone needed help, the proper thing to do was to lend them a hand. Charging a fee for assistance would certainly defy Kinomoto Fujitaka's moral teachings.

"Come on, just name the price. I don't mind paying you." Syaoran prodded.

"No!" Sakura folded her arms across her chest. "I said it's fine, so it's fine! Let's just leave it at that!"

Having already experienced Sakura's stubborn streak before, Syaoran knew that it was useless persuading her.

"Alright then," Syaoran sighed. "Thank you, I guess."

Syaoran was about to get out of the car but hesitated for a moment. Surely there must be something he could do for her…

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked, wondering why he wasn't opening the door. Did he forget something?

"Nothing. Just as I thought… I can't leave it like this." And before Sakura could react, Syaoran turned towards her and kissed her gently on the cheek. "Now I've paid for half of my fee."

Sakura watched with wide eyes as Syaoran got out of her car and enter the Li Corp building without a backward glance at her.

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**End of Chapter 6**

**Authors Note: **This chapter was definitely one of the most difficult but entertaining chapters to write. I had trouble trying to make Sakura warm up to Syaoran (after all, they did spend much of the chapter fighting). Hence, I needed to introduce Daisuke's character so that they could somehow see the other's kind personalities. And for those who maybe wondering, Daisuke, Chiharu, and Yamazaki (who I have yet to introduce) will be a recurring character in this story.

Unfortunately, I couldn't bring back the bachelor show in this chapter. But on the next one, we are definitely coming back to it. No more excuses. I won't say much about what's going to happen but Chapter 7 will, for sure, be a fan-favourite. A little spoiler: Naoko and Sakura finally meet, and I know it will be off the calendar, but it has a little bit of a Christmasey-theme to it. Remember that right now, it's still the month of December in the story timeline. Oh so many possible things could happen and I can't wait to get started on it.

Anyway, thank you for those reading the story and an even greater thank you to those reviewing. I appreciate your inputs and I am especially happy to hear that you are enjoying this story. For those who haven't reviewed yet, please do. I value everyone's thoughts and consider any changes that you think may benefit this story. Once again, thank you…


	7. A Cinderella Mix Up

**Disclaimer: **The author does not own Card Captor Sakura or anything affiliated with it. She only has rights to the plot of the story and its AU characters.

**Summary:** Famous fashion designer and Daidouji Toy Company heiress, Daidouji Tomoyo, has just been dumped by her actor ex-boyfriend. What's worst, he called Tomoyo an emotional abuser in front of millions of Japanese people. To soften the blow to her reputation, Tomoyo's best friend, Kinomoto Sakura, hatched a plan for Tomoyo to appear in a new reality show "Are You The One?" and hoped that the former would make a great comeback out of it. All seemed fine at the beginning, but trouble ensues when Sakura catches Li Syaoran, the bachelor of the show's, attention instead. To make matters complicated, Sakura's resistance against his charms also deteriorate over the course of the show. Will she finally succumb to the passion that Li's kisses promise or will she stay true to her friend who has been with her since childhood?

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**Say That You Love Me**

**Chapter ****7: ****A Cinderella Mix-Up**

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"Good morning Li-sama," Naoko bowed her head to Syaoran respectfully. 

"Good morning," Syaoran replied back as he shrugged out of his coat.

"I hope the rest of your weekend was pleasant, sir," Naoko said as she hanged up his outerwear in the closet and handed him his briefcase.

"It was, thank you," Syaoran said, already heading over to his desk. "And yours?"

"If was fine, sir," his secretary said.

"Good, good." Once the pleasantries were over, Syaoran sat down and quickly turned business-like. "Any messages for me?"

"Just one sir," Naoko replied. "The Tokyo Police Department called this morning. The man on the phone said that your Jaguar has been located and it can be picked up at the station."

"Excellent."

"I've sent Nishido to pick it up for you. I hope you don't mind, I've instructed him to take the vehicle to a garage to have it inspected for any damages."

"Not at all… In fact, I appreciate the gesture." Syaoran said while turning on his computer.

"The police also wanted to know if you plan to press any charges against the person who stole your car. Apparently, the said thief is a seventeen-year-old boy named Kotomari Sora." Naoko said. "If you like, I could find out more about him from the government database."

Syaoran shook his head. "There's no need for that. I don't plan on wasting my time or our resources on some brat."

"Very well, sir."

"Other than that, what's on our agenda for today?" Syaoran asked while taking out his reading glasses.

Naoko looked down at her palm pilot and began to skim through it. Every block on the screen seemed to be filled with endless appointments.

"At 8 o'clock, you have a meeting with the board of directors regarding Li Corp's recent acquisition of the Karusawa office in Osaka. I've already arranged for the board room to be prepared. Here is the file with all the information regarding the Karusawa business. I thought you might want to look over it before the meeting started," Naoko handed Syaoran a red thick binder, who in turn nodded and began to flip through it. "I've scheduled the meeting for an hour and a half at your convenience. It's shorter than usual because of your 10:00 video conference with Mr. Frank Crawford from the London branch of Li Communications and Mr. Alec Desmond of the Technological Research and Development Team. Then at 12:30, you have a luncheon with the Director of Hiroki Limited, the President of Watanabe Corporation, and his two sons. Your mother would like to know whether you've considered their new proposals and if so, she wishes for you to see her in her office before your meeting with the board this morning."

Syaoran nodded his head, motioning Naoko to continue her briefing.

"For 2 o'clock, you have a meeting with Studio 24 and your staff at Diamond Hotel. They want to discuss this week's episode and who you plan to eliminate from the show. Ms. Mei Ling Li also wanted to let you know that she will be accompanying you to Diamond Hotel. She said not to worry though. She will only be there to check the Christmas decorations."

"Highly unlikely," Syaoran commented, not taking his eyes off of the red binder. "Go on…"

"At 4 o'clock, you have another video conference. This time it's from your American medical research team. They faxed this document this morning and they said you will be very happy with their findings," Naoko laid another file down in front of him. "And finally, at six o'clock, Mr. Hiiragizawa said that he will meet you and your mother here for your scheduled dinner with the Prime Minister of Japan."

"I see." Syaoran closed the red binder and stared at his desk distractedly.

"I believe that's about everything for today. Can I get you anything else before I take my leave, Mr. Li?" The secretary asked her boss.

Syaoran tapped his gold fountain pen on his mahogany desk.

"Hmm? Oh, yes. Actually, I'd like to ask for a favour Naoko. Could you contact the Christian Dior boutique near us and tell them that I'd like to purchase the black and pink gown that I saw on their window display this morning? A size two would be perfect."

Naoko raised her eyebrow. Normally a request such as this wouldn't be so odd. After being Syaoran's secretary for nearly three years now, she should be used to purchasing the gifts for his dates every week. However, it was rather peculiar that he would be buying something at this time… Especially when he had just broken up with his latest paramour! He couldn't have possibly found a new lady-bird, now… At least not this soon!

"Umm, who should I send this to, Mr. Li?" Naoko asked, referring to the dress in question.

"About that… Would you please look up the address of a 'Kinomoto Sakura?' Have the dress delivered at her place."

Naoko rolled her eyes inwardly. _Kinomoto Sakura_. Typical! Twenty-four hours have yet to pass but her boss already found a new girlfriend. Well, that sure didn't take long.

"Do you want to leave any messages for her, along with the dress?" she asked.

Syaoran hesitated for a moment. The last time they met, Sakura ripped at him for giving her compliments. She said that his words of flattery sounded phoney, like cheesy pick-up lines.

"No salutations." Syaoran told his secretary. "Just tell her that I hope to see her at this Friday's Gala and that I'd like to see her wear the dress for the occasion. And make sure to sign to it just Syaoran. I don't want the card sounding too formal."

"Yes sir. Is that everything?" Naoko looked at him expectantly.

"Yes, that's all. Thank you." Syaoran said dismissively already turning to his work.

* * *

Sakura listened and watched as Tomoyo flustered about the room, the latter being unsure of what to wear for the second episode of the bachelor show. The pair had just received word from special courier inviting Tomoyo and one other guest if she wished, to a Christmas Gala at the Diamond Hotel (which was perhaps one of the most prestigious lodgings in the country). 

"What do you think 'Kura? The purple or the blue one?" Tomoyo asked while holding up two dresses of the aforementioned colors.

"Umm…" Sakura honestly did not know what to say. Though she herself did not have the most horrible taste in clothing, it was Tomoyo who had a better sense of fashion between the two. It was, after all, in line with her profession.

"Oh, this is hopeless!" Tomoyo moaned, throwing both dresses on the bed in defeat. "How could they possibly expect us to find the perfect outfit in less than a week?"

Sakura, in return, merely shrugged her shoulders and continued to paint her toenails with a peach nail polish. She found it rather hard to feel sympathetic to her friend's distress. In her opinion, Tomoyo was one of the top fashion designers in Asia and it was mostly her formal dresses that gave her much credit. She shouldn't have any problems choosing one of her own creations.

"I don't see why you're fussing over this. It's only a party." Sakura said while airing out her nails dry.

Tomoyo looked at her best friend with wide eyes. "What are you talking about? This isn't just some party Sakura-chan! This is the second day that I meet Li Syaoran. And this is also the second day where the first elimination takes place."

Hearing Li Syaoran's name, Sakura felt her heart skip a beat. It was the strangest thing. In the beginning, she detested the man whose philandering ways were always plastered on the newspaper headlines. Even after meeting him in the studio, Syaoran's simple presence annoyed her to no ends. Perhaps it was because he was so rich and just being in the same room as him made Sakura think of her inadequate financial situation in life. But that was back then… Something about last Sunday changed Sakura's opinion of him. And although she told Tomoyo about her coincidental meeting with the Li magnate, Sakura found it in her best interest to keep the short moment she had with Syaoran in the car a secret.

Sakura sighed. What the hell was she thinking now? A moment with Li Syaoran? Ridiculous! Quite laughable actually! The man simply pecked her on the cheek in gratitude for helping him get back to his office. And here she was making a big deal out of nothing!

Yet…

Even now…

She could still feel the warmth of his lips…

"Are you alright Sakura-Chan? You look rather red." Tomoyo asked, eyeing her friend in worry. Sakura always appeared to be tired when she arrived home these days. Tomoyo was afraid that she might be exhausting herself with work.

Sakura blinked in surprise at being called back in reality. "Ah, I'm fine. It must be the weather today. All this heat…"

In response, Tomoyo raised her eyebrow. "'Kura, it's winter."

Now that she mentioned it, it was snowing outside.

Sakura scratched the back of her head and laughed sheepishly. How embarrassing!

"Oh yeah…"

Tomoyo was about to say something else when the doorbell suddenly rang. Who could possibly be calling on them at this part of the day?

"I'll get it," Sakura told her friend who in turn nodded gratefully when she realized the huge mess she created in her room. She had spent nearly two hours looking for the perfect dress in her closet and none caught her eye at all.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Opening the front door, Sakura eyes met a punkish-looking teenager wearing a blue and white Fed-Ex uniform.

"Yes?" Sakura asked.

"I have a package here, Miss. It's from Li Corp." the boy said, motioning his head over to a large rectangular box in his arms.

"Li Corp?" Sakura called out in bewilderment. What could all this possibly be about now?

"Hai (Yes)," the boy replied. "So, I'll just need you to sign some papers and I'll be on my way."

"O-Of course." Sakura said, taking the clipboard and pen from his other hand.

When all documentation was done, Sakura quickly whipped out the card sitting on top of the box and read its contents. Could this be…?

_A beautiful gift for a bea__utiful girl__…__ See you Friday night, __Syaoran._

Friday night… He must be talking about Tomoyo. Sakura felt a sudden tug in her chest. Of course, he'd be referring to Tomoyo-chan. After all, it was she who was participating in his show.

"Who was that Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked her from behind.

Sakura nearly jumped in surprise at her friend's sudden appearance and forced a smile on her face to cover the earlier disappointment she felt.

"Just a delivery… For you…"

Sakura handed her the black box that had gold linings embroidered on its edges. Tomoyo glanced at the package in confusion and quickly opened it up to see what could have possibly been sent to her. Lifting the lid off, her mouth dropped open in awe when she saw the most gorgeous black and pink gown in the box, complete with matching black elbow gloves and black stiletto sandals.

"Wow," Tomoyo eyes widened in amazement.

Curious to see what Syaoran had sent to her friend, Sakura sneaked a peek from the side and found a very glamorous dress inside. Sakura just had to restrain herself so as not to run her hand down its fabric.

"You don't think it's bad, do you?" Tomoyo glanced at Sakura worriedly. "If I decide to wear this… I mean, I'm a designer myself so I'd basically be promoting Christian Dior's work, not mine."

Sakura smiled at her friend and shook her head reassuringly. "It should be fine. Didn't you used to intern for John Galiano (A/N: Current fashion designer of Christian Dior)? You used to say how much you admired and respected the man in your first interviews."

"Yes," Tomoyo began. "Demo (But)…"

"But nothing!" Sakura looked at the dress in fascination. "This gown is absolutely gorgeous. It would be a shame not to wear it."

"I don't know…" Tomoyo hesitated.

"Tomoyo-chan, it's going to be fine," Sakura assured her again. "Besides, Li sent this to you. It would be terribly rude if you came to the event without wearing his present."

Hearing her last statement, Tomoyo found a more-than acceptable reason to wear the fabulous gown.

"You're absolutely right," she said, taking out the dress from the box. "It's just a dress. There shouldn't be any harm to that. And I must say; Li Syaoran definitely has good taste. I mean, just look at this! This dress is divine!"

In front of her, Sakura gave a small smile. Truly, she was happy for her friend but it was in moments such as these that Sakura wished she lived a rather different life. 'The dress looks stunning.' Sakura thought enviously, while dreaming of how it would look on her. Not that it was possible for her to wear one of course. That gown must have cost a fortune and fortune was something she obviously did not have. Out loud, Sakura sighed wistfully and said, "Now all you need are the accessories."

Tomoyo's eyes sparkled in delight at her friend's suggestion.

"True! And I know just the perfect necklace and earrings to go with this! You have to come with me to Cartier's tonight! We can get matching jewelleries since you'll be accompanying me to the gala. And don't you dare think about buying someone else's dress. I'll be making one for you."

Sakura bit her lip, suddenly remembering she had prior engagements for that particular day.

"Actually, Tomoyo-chan, I won't be coming with you this Friday," she told her friend, feeling slightly guilty.

"EH?! Why not?" Tomoyo stared at her friend in surprise.

"Because I have plans…" she said vaguely.

"Kinomoto Sakura, you promised to keep me company! Now tell me what could be more important than attending a ball with your best friend in the entire world!" Tomoyo put her hands on her hips.

"It's nothing important! I just… I have a date." Sakura told her before quickly taking refuge in the kitchen. Unfortunately for Sakura, Tomoyo decided to follow and interrogate her.

"A date?" Tomoyo exclaimed. "With who?"

"The weekend manager from the supermarket," Sakura said in a muffled tone of voice as she rummaged through the fridge.

"The good-looking one?" Tomoyo asked, smiling widely.

Sakura looked up at her friend strangely after hearing her superficial description. "If you're referring to a guy named Ryuu with light-brown hair and hazel eyes, then yes, that's him."

"Oh my God!" Tomoyo squealed. "You're dating a hottie!!!"

"Technically, we're not dating yet." Sakura pointed out before pouring orange juice in a tall glass and taking a sip of it.

"Still… Where is he taking you? Have you decided on what you're going to wear? Oh this is all so exciting!"

Sakura shrugged nonchalantly. "He said we'll go grab some coffee. I'll probably just throw something casual on. I mean, it's only the first date."

Tomoyo looked at her friend, appalled. "_Only_ the first date?! Uh-uh! It would be a crime to let you go out with just your casual clothes on!"

Sakura looked down at her red t-shirt and jeans. In her opinion, she seemed presentable. Plain but clean…

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" she asked.

Tomoyo raised her eyebrow. She had seen the inside of Sakura's closet before. The poor girl! If Tomoyo weren't there as her friend and roommate, she was certain Sakura would be forever doomed to roam this world in button up blouses of solid colors and a pair of jeans that surprisingly haven't shrunk or ripped at the hem due to excessive use.

"That's it," Tomoyo grabbed Sakura's hand and dragged her to the latter's bedroom. "Get changed! We're going shopping!"

"Today? But… Wait Tomoyo, I –" Sakura protested. Or at least attempted to… She was planning on going job-hunting in the afternoon. Plus, she didn't have any money to spend on such trivial things.

"No excuses! Just get dressed! I'll meet you outside in ten minutes!"

And before Sakura could refuse any further, Tomoyo shut the door behind her.

"EH???"

* * *

Sakura drummed her fingers on the table in a rhythmic manner. Oh this was a complete disaster! Just as her gut instinct warned her; going out with a complete stranger was not the greatest idea. Granted, Matsumoto Ryuu was definitely good looking… However, not even his facial features could stimulate a conversation between them. For the past thirty minutes, both had spent the first five discussing what looks good on the menu and what they should order from the café. As for the last twenty-five… Well, let's just say that Sakura was forced to endure perhaps the longest and most awkward silence in her life. Sighing, Sakura couldn't help but wish that she accompanied Tomoyo to Diamond Hotel instead. Even though she would probably be surrounded by a bunch of stuck-up snobs, at least her best friend would be there to keep her company. Plus, they might be serving some really delicious food over there… For free… 

"So…" Ryuu began.

"Hmm?" Sakura felt her eyes drooping from the lack of social activity. It took a great amount of effort just to stifle her yawn.

"You're not having fun, aren't you?" Ryuu suddenly pointed out, disappointment laced in his tone.

Sakura looked at him in surprise. Was she really that obvious in her boredom?

"No, no… I'm just… I –" Sakura sighed. There was no point denying it now especially since she was already caught. "Gomen (I'm sorry)."

Ryuu shook his head. "That's quite alright. I knew I should've chosen a more suitable place for a first date."

"No, no!" Sakura's eyes widened. "The place is fine. The café looks really pretty… And they're desserts are fantastic."

To illustrate her point, Sakura took a large portion of her chocolate mousse cake and quickly shoved it into her mouth. However, before she could say the word "yum," Sakura's eyes suddenly saw stars. Hmm. Actually, that wasn't bad at all. Now that she had finally decided to eat her dessert, that cake was actually pretty good. She should probably go for a second bite… Most likely a third… Definitely a fourth… After all, it's not good to waste food now, right?

Ryuu couldn't help but smile at Sakura's attempt to make him feel better.

"You don't have to force yourself," he told her gently. "It's alright if you don't like the food. I don't mind paying for it."

Sakura slowly placed her fork down and stared at him hard. Why on earth was he being so nice to her after she admitted to him that their date was lousy? Didn't he know that the kinder he was, the guiltier she felt? Damn, if she were in his shoes, she would have left her off in a huff by now. Instead, her ungrateful attitude was only met by Ryuu's sincerity as he tried to make her feel as comfortable as possible.

"Oh I can't take this anymore! Stop it! Stop everything!" Sakura cried out.

Hearing her sudden outburst, Ryuu placed his cup of coffee down and glanced at her worriedly. "Umm, Kinomoto-san, are you alright?"

"No! I'm not fine!" Sakura gripped her skirt tightly. "I just… Why are you being so – _aarrghh_ - nice especially after I just told you that I wasn't having fun?"

"I – I'm sorry?" Ryuu apologized, unsure of why she was suddenly acting like this.

"Enough already! And damn it! Why are you apologizing when you're not even at fault?!"

"I'm not?"

Sakura shook her head vigorously and as a nervous habit, she played with the napkin on the table while trying to avoid eye contact with her date.

"This is all because of me! It's my entire fault! This is my first date with someone and I'm so stupid, I can't even think straight!" she admitted so loud that the whole café turned silent. Seeing that she had caught everyone's attention, Sakura felt her cheeks flush in embarrassment.

"Uso (No way / You're kidding)!" Ryuu's eyes widened in surprise. Her first date? A beautiful girl like Kinomoto-san? Impossible!

"I've never been good at conversing with the opposite sex, alright! It just… It takes me a while for me to get to know them. It's fine once we become friends; I learn to relax and ease up around them over time. But when it comes to anything more than that… I'm absolutely clueless! I don't know what to do or how to act! I don't even know how to dress for a simple date!" Sakura gestured her hands to the floral blouse and the pale pink skirt she currently had on. "If it weren't for my best friend Tomoyo, I probably would have come here wearing an ugly t-shirt and jeans!"

"I don't think a casual outfit would be a problem." Ryuu pointed out in an effort to alleviate some of her worries. And it's not as though what he said was untrue. After all, some of the people sitting around them were dressed in a very simple manner.

Sakura exhaled loudly. "You're right, that isn't the problem! But the point is, I have trouble being myself around guys and I don't want you to think that I'm not giving you a chance because of my shortcomings. I… I really do think you're a good guy and I know you have expectations about this date. I'm just so sorry that I couldn't live up to it."

"Kinomoto-san –"

"See? Even now, you're still being so polite!" Sakura muttered, still avoiding eye contact. "After hearing all of that, a normal guy would've already stood up and walked out by now!"

"Well, I'm not a normal guy." Ryuu said with a smile.

In return, Sakura threw him a look that clearly said, "I think I've already figured that out!"

Ryuu gently reached out for right hand and stroked it with his own in an effort to calm her down. So that was the reason why they couldn't seem to connect. Thank goodness she had made it clear that their awkward date was because of her inexperience in such matters. Otherwise, he would have gone on thinking that he was doing something terribly wrong.

"Look," Ryuu began. "I didn't ask you out so you could change yourself. I told you before… At the grocery store… I just… I really just wanted to get to know you better. That's all. If it's that uncomfortable for you to see yourself in a date with me, don't think of it as such."

"Huh?" Sakura's eyebrows furrowed with confusion.

"Just think of this afternoon as two friends from opposite sexes, sitting in a nice café to spend some time together and to enjoy some cakes," Ryuu told her. "Like a casual hangout."

"You – you don't mind?" Sakura asked, uncertain of how to take in his proposal.

"Not at all," he said with such sincerity. "Though It would just make me feel a whole lot better if you would just relax. And if the only way to achieve that is by starting off as friends, then so be it."

After hearing his words, Sakura's nerves eased up a little bit and she looked at Ryuu in gratitude. "Thanks."

"Now," Ryuu smiled. "- since we're here to get to know each other, why don't we start by introducing ourselves?"

"Eh? But we already know each other."

Ryuu shook his head. "If we're going to become good friends, we might as well do this right. Come now. Don't be shy. I'll do it after you as well."

Sakura couldn't help but burst out laughing at his suggestion. This idea of his sounded so ridiculous… So silly! Yet Sakura decided there was no harm in playing along on his whim.

'You're a very good guy, Matsumoto Ryuu,' she thought inwardly.

"Fine then, here goes…"

* * *

Syaoran pretended to listen as the Director of Hiroki Limited bragged about the new yacht he had just purchased. Bloody hell! If he knew that he would spend much of the night conversing about useless things such as these, he would have rather spent it in his office where he could get some much needed work done. Li Corporation was in the middle of a huge breakthrough in their telecommunications field and Syaoran desperately wanted to get everything finalized by next week. The company was planning on introducing a new holographic phone by next year and of course, a lot of planning (especially on the marketing side) still needed to be worked on. In his opinion, he was much more needed in the office rather than be in this lavish affair. 

Besides, if he really was looking to have some fun, he could've opted to go to a club instead. In the first place, Syaoran couldn't figure out why Mei Ling proposed for the second episode of the bachelor to correspond with their corporate Christmas Gala. It was too bothersome. The night was still young yet the giggly contestants from the show were already getting on his nerves. Each time he conversed with the different associates of Li Corp, Syaoran would find himself being approached by the girls. Their presence wouldn't have bothered him so much had it not been for the fact that the camera crew would soon follow in their direction and point the cameras at their faces. Many of the partners (especially the elderly ones) found this disruption rather irritating and had excused themselves not even five minutes after the women joined their party. To make matters worst, some of the contestants were quite aggressive… A couple of them even tried to be _very flirtatious _with himin front of the camera. Syaoran couldn't deny that he loved being with women but even he had his own taste. In all honesty, he was especially turned off of girls without any class whatsoever.

Sighing, Syaoran inspected the dance floor in boredom. Thankfully he was able to ward off the contestants for now. As annoying as Hiroki-san was, being in the same group as the conceited man was very effective in deflecting an audience indeed. Add Eriol's intimidating presence in the group (the former was somehow strict on those contestants he disliked which practically makes up ninety percent of the girls) and his secretary, Naoko's condescending glances when the women become too scandalous… Well, let's just say that many were now reluctant to approach their group.

Sipping his champagne, a delightful thought suddenly passed to Syaoran. At least he had the arrival of a certain enigmatic brunette with the most amazing pair of emerald eyes to look forward to in this event. Hopefully dear Ms. Kinomoto would be wearing the dress that he chose for her.

Next to Syaoran, Eriol noticed that his cousin's mind had wandered away from the conversation and elbowed him discreetly. Not only was he being rude, but the look of boredom on his face was definitely not a good start with the man who had recently become a partner of Li Corporation in a medical venture. The gesture in turn quickly snapped Syaoran out of his reverie.

"Ah! Excellent choice Hiroki-san," he said trying to look as though he had been paying attention all this time.

Fortunately, the aforementioned man did not see through Syaoran's act and he took the latter's compliment sincerely. He was about to say more when the whole hall suddenly turned quiet. Hiroki couldn't help but wonder what caught the attention of the guests and when he turned his head towards the entrance, he finally realized why.

"Would you look at that?" Hiroki commented in awe.

By the doors stood Tomoyo Daidouji looking beautiful in a pink and black gown designed by John Galiano of Christian Dior. The dress did not have intricate styles; rather its simplicity was what made it so gorgeous. Because the gown had a full skirt on, John Galiano designed the upper part to be strapless and in Tomoyo's case, this had been very advantageous for it displayed not only her long neck but her beautiful shoulders as well. To keep the bareness at bay, she also wore a black pair of gloves that reached her elbows and a diamond choker that looked authentic to the naked eye.

"Suteki (Beautiful)," Eriol said in an almost breathless voice.

When Tomoyo got a glimpse of her sempai, she quickly brightened up with a smile and made her way over to him. The men she passed openly gaped at her beauty while some of the women (particularly the other bachelorettes of the show) threw her dirty looks. In truth, though Tomoyo appeared to be confident on the outside, she felt rather uneasy since her arrival to the hotel. It wasn't as though as she had never been to events such as these before. Oh no… Being the only child of a famous businesswoman herself, she had grown up going to formal parties and other glamorous affairs, some of which were hosted by her own mother. However, back then, she also didn't receive so many weird stares before. It also did not help that she was wearing a dress that the host specifically sent to her place.

"Konbawa (Good evening)," Tomoyo bowed her head to Eriol and the people around him.

"Tomoyo, you look wonderful tonight," Eriol said as he took both of her hands and kissed her cheek in greeting.

The gesture may have meant no deeper meaning but speculation quickly arose when Tomoyo blushed at his compliment.

"Thank you Eriol-sempai. I should say the same thing to you." Tomoyo murmured softly.

Similar to how Tomoyo could be likened as a princess, Eriol looked dashing in his midnight black tuxedo as well. In contrast to those many times that Tomoyo had seen him, Eriol was not wearing his glasses for the night and the change had a considerable effect on his face. He appeared less studious and more charming. Tomoyo could now see why her past dorm-mates at Oxford nicknamed him _Prince_.

'Now if he only just smiled more,' she thought to herself.

Turning beside Eriol, she found Syaoran standing near them… However, unlike Eriol, the latter possessed a different air around him. While one could describe Eriol's looks as that of a kind gentleman, Syaoran on the other hand exuded raw masculinity. He stood in a manner that spoke out rebelliousness. His naturally messy hair made it seem as though several hands had already ran through them and those deep dark eyes; they were just depths of seduction in their own right. The way he usually cocked his eyebrow appeared more sensual rather than arrogant and a simple quirk on the corner of his lips just brought women to their knees. In other words, he looked positively irresistible.

"Hello Li-san." Tomoyo greeted Syaoran with a shy smile.

In response, Syaoran stared at her in surprise. He hadn't calculated on Tomoyo or any other contestant for that matter to wear the same dress that he had sent to Kinomoto Sakura. When Naoko had purchased the dress, he had made sure to inquire of how many gowns in that particular style were currently in stock. Christian Dior informed him that only two were present in the country and that the other dresses have yet to be shipped. How utterly convenient that one of the contestants in the show would be wearing the same outfit as the girl that he had his eye on…

Suddenly remembering his manners, Syaoran quickly grasped Tomoyo's hands and performed the same welcoming kiss on the cheek as Eriol.

"Forgive me Daidouji-san. You just looked so breathtaking in that dress that I'd almost forgotten where I was," Syaoran cajoled.

And if it were even more possible, Tomoyo turned redder from his compliment.

"Why thank you, Li-san," she replied softly. "Though, I could scarcely take credit for the gown. It was after all your choice and I must say you have very good taste."

Her last statement caught Syaoran off guard and it befuddled him to say the least. His credit? His good taste? What on earth was she talking about?

"I beg your pardon?" he asked politely.

"This dress… It's an absolutely gorgeous gift! Thank you." Tomoyo said while giving him a rather curious stare. Deep down inside, she had this peculiar feeling that Syaoran didn't know what she was talking about. Truthfully, she found that notion very disappointing… How could he not possibly be aware of the gift he had personally sent her?

'Or perhaps he's just being modest in front of all his guests,' Tomoyo thought hesitantly and decided to give Syaoran the benefit of the doubt all the same.

As for the latter, the dots suddenly seemed to connect for Syaoran and he groaned inwardly. Could Naoko have made a mistake in sending the dress intended for Kinomoto Sakura to Daidouji Tomoyo instead? But how on earth could such a misunderstanding arise from all of these? He had, after all, specifically asked for his secretary to deliver the gown to Sakura. Looking pointedly at Naoko, the woman gulped nervously under his stare. Clearly she would be reprimanded severely for such an idiotic mistake. Though Naoko could've sworn that she did send the package to Kinomoto Sakura's address… Or at least she thought so.

'In any event, the mistake's already been done,' Syaoran said to himself in irritation. Rather than humiliate Tomoyo in front of all of these people (in spite of everything, she was most likely innocent in this entire debacle), Syaoran decided to play along and he pretended to have sent her the dress on purpose.

Though dismayed about all of the confusion, Syaoran was slightly relieved to find that the dress ended up in Daidouji Tomoyo's hands. Unlike the other contestants, she wasn't as clingy as the rest and from what Syaoran could perceive in their last meeting, Tomoyo can actually carry an intelligent conversation with him. Plus, it helped that the gown did in fact look very beautiful on her.

"It was my pleasure, Daidouji-san. Actually, I should be the one thanking you for giving me the chance to see such a beautiful masterpiece before me." Syaoran teased.

Tomoyo smiled.

"Well then, I'm glad to have been of some help somehow," she replied, not missing a beat.

However, despite Syaoran's indirect assurance, Tomoyo continued to sense something strange about the situation. Or perhaps she was just thinking too much of all this… Yes, that may be it. She was probably just too nervous coming in this lovely affair and that's why she was finding the whole circumstance highly unusual.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Meanwhile, Eriol looked at his cousin oddly. Syaoran never mentioned doing something unexpected like sending a dress to one of the contestants. And to his one and only kouhai at that… Not that Syaoran needed to confide in him, of course. After all, what his cousin did in his personal life was completely his business. Besides there are some things that Eriol also liked to keep to him self. Everyone has a few secrets after all.

Well, whatever the case may be, this development could prove to be a good thing. Eriol watched as Syaoran threw his head back in laughter at what Tomoyo just said. He then saw his cousin put his arm around her waist and introduced her to the parties of their group.

'Oh yes, this could be a very good thing indeed…' Eriol thought, smiling inwardly.

* * *

**End of Chapter 7**

**Author's Note:** With summer school and a summer job, this month has been so hectic for me that I could only find the time to write during my breaks. Chapter 7 was actually scheduled to come out already last week but I decided to break the chapter up in two parts. Not much excitement in this chapter for some people though but it did introduce some pivotal points in the story. Ryuu's presence of course will be a problem however he truly is a good man so please don't hate him too much. And as you can see here at the end, Eriol has his own intentions as well. But we already found out the reason why he's so harsh towards the opposite sex given his family history in Chapter 4.

Also there's a bit of contradiction going on with Sakura's fashion taste. Now, technically, Sakura isn't the most stylish person in the planet and Tomoyo can vouch for that being a fashion designer and all. But she also doesn't have the worst taste on the planet. Her closet most likely consists of t-shirts and button-up blouses, all of which are in solid colors and no patterns whatsoever. Like Sakura's words, her clothes speak out boring but at least she looks neat and presentable. Add the fact that she's quite poor; well her financial situation certainly contributes to her lack of taste. Now some may wonder, why doesn't Tomoyo just give her clothes? Well, the answer to that is because of Sakura's proud nature. Going back to Chapter 1, Tomoyo offered to lend Sakura some money to pay for her bills but the latter quickly refused. Sakura has a strict policy about lending money. To her, it's all right to give but it's not okay to take.

Anyway, for the next chapter… It's probably going to take a lot longer to write considering it the fact that I will also be starting my internship next week. I already have plans on what's going to happen though so no worries about writer's block there. As mentioned before, I haven't incorporated the show too much in the story and I really need to get into that. In any event, we should definitely see some claws coming out in part II so stay tuned. Adding a little spoiler here: a past character will make an appearance very soon. ;)

P.S. A very special thank you to those who reviewed last chapter. Reading them really brightened my busy days up and I was able to go to school and work with a very positive attitude indirectly because of you, the readers. Thank you, thank you, thank you. So everyone, please review. I value your comments very much.


	8. The Magic of the Sexy Fairy Godmother

**Disclaimer: **The author does not own Card Captor Sakura or anything affiliated with it. She only has rights to the plot of the story and its AU characters.

**Summary:** Famous fashion designer and Daidouji Toy Company heiress, Daidouji Tomoyo, has just been dumped by her actor ex-boyfriend. What's worst, he called Tomoyo an emotional abuser in front of millions of Japanese people. To soften the blow to her reputation, Tomoyo's best friend, Kinomoto Sakura, hatched a plan for Tomoyo to appear in a new reality show "Are You The One?" and hoped that the former would make a great comeback out of it. All seemed fine at the beginning, but trouble ensues when Sakura catches Li Syaoran, the bachelor of the show's attention instead. To make matters complicated, Sakura's resistance against his charms also deteriorate over the course of the show. Will she finally succumb to the passion that Li's kisses promise or will she stay true to her friend who has been with her since childhood?

* * *

**Say That You Love Me**

**Chapter 8: The Magic of the Sexy Fairy Godmother**

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"Look, I'm not here for that damn party! I'm just here to see my friend!" Sakura yelled at the two doormen of Diamond Hotel.

After Ryuu had dropped her off home, Sakura realized that she had stupidly left the keys to the front door inside the townhouse. It wasn't the first time that an event such as this occurred and under normal circumstances, Sakura would have turned to her friends for the night. Unfortunately, when she tried calling Chiharu and Yuki to see if they would let her crash at their places, both told her that they would be working late. Nevertheless, they did give Sakura permission to stay at their respective places but the latter did not feel comfortable being in their apartments by herself. Seeing as Tomoyo was the only other person with a spare set of keys and the fact that it was the winter season (blimey, she was only wearing a skirt and a pair of black knee-high boots underneath her coat), she had no other choice but to drive down to Diamond Hotel.

However, once she arrived, the doorman of the said hotel wouldn't let her in on account that she didn't have an invitation nor was she properly attired for the party going on inside.

"This is ridiculous!" Sakura shouted in frustration. "Do you want me to freeze out here to death then?!"

"Well, it's not our bloody fault that you can't get in," the man said, already annoyed with Sakura's persistent yelling. "We're only doing our jobs!"

"Screw your job! I just want to get the keys from my friend! And you're being an arse by not letting me see her." Sakura huffed.

"We're being an arse?!" another employee called out incredulously. "You're the one who's trying to barge in here when you're even not bloody invited!"

"For your information, I was invited so!" Sakura shot back.

"Well, where's your invitation then Missy?!" the two men sneered.

"I – I…"

Damn, she knew she should have accepted Tomoyo's offer to go to this party!

"I don't have it." Sakura muttered underneath her breath.

"Then there you go! No bloody invitation, no bloody entrance!"

"But I really was invited!" Sakura insisted. "My friend – she's a contestant in that new bachelor show that your boss is in! Her invitation said that she could bring a guest to his party and she said I could go with her!"

In hearing that, one of the doormen laughed and looked at Sakura as if she were a joke.

"Sure, sweetheart! And I'm Li Syaoran's long lost brother!" he replied sarcastically.

"I'm telling you the truth damn it!" Sakura said through clenched teeth. Was it really so hard to believe that someone like her would be acquainted with the rich and famous?!

"Well it doesn't matter! You still can't get in! Now move aside you stupid girl! You're starting to piss me off!" the man pushed Sakura aside.

Unfortunately for Sakura, she lost her footing and she ended up on the cold ground instead. Oh bloody hell! Sakura could feel the back of her coat getting soaked from the wet pavement. Great! Bloody marvellous! Her only winter jacket was ruined! Glaring at the doorman, she was about to let out a string of profane words when somebody beat her to the punch…

"What the hell is your problem?" a woman yelled in outrage. "How dare you treat a guest like that?"

Sakura looked up from her position and was stunned to see a familiar face. It was the same woman who had wrongly pointed her to Syaoran's dressing room on her first night at Studio 24. From what Sakura could recall at that time, the woman had seemed to be rather close with Li Syaoran himself.

"Are you alright Miss?" Mei Ling asked. Her eyes widened when she recognized Sakura's equally familiar face. "Kinomoto-san?"

This is perfect! Perhaps the woman before her could help her get in touch with Tomoyo! Sakura looked at the doormen and pointed at Mei Ling. "See?! She knows me!"

The two men looked at each other and then at Mei Ling. If Sakura wasn't properly attired for the occasion, Mei Ling wore a more unsuitable pair of clothes. Unlike the ladies inside the hotel, the latter was dressed in jeans, running shoes and a black leather jacket. Naturally, the two doormen concluded that from the way she looked, Mei Ling must be of someone with no importance.

"So? Who the hell is she?!" one of the men stated rather than asked.

Mei Ling raised her eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"Just because you know her doesn't mean she's invited to the Gala!" The other man said to Sakura and then he turned to Mei Ling. "And you! Do you have any business here? If you don't, I suggest you take your friend away and get lost!"

Sakura scowled at both hotel employees. What kind of men did Diamond Hotel hire anyway? Just because they worked at a nice place doesn't give them the right to be rude to people!

"Actually, I'm here for the party." Mei Ling replied with a sudden bright smile.

The two doormen looked at Mei Ling suspiciously. What on earth was this woman playing at?

"Alright then, where's your invitation?" one asked as he extended his hand out.

Mei Ling shrugged. "I don't have it. I lost the envelope."

Both employees stared at Mei Ling in disbelief. What was up with women these days? Especially with these two before them! Did they really think they could stupidly march in the hotel without having the invitation whatsoever? And they probably weren't even part of the guest list for crying out loud!

"Like we told your friend here; if you don't have a bloody invitation, you can't get in! Now scram it, you hooligans!" one of the men said, crossing his arms across his chest.

While Sakura looked furious at their appalling treatment, Mei Ling only looked at the two doormen calmly as she studied them in the same manner that they did to her moments ago.

"You're both new, right?" she said.

"Yeah, so what's your point?" the men looked at Mei Ling pointedly.

Mei Ling smirked. Somehow, that quirk on her lips gave Sakura a fleeting image of Syaoran. 'Okay. That was weird. Why did I just see his face in my mind?' Sakura thought, blushing.

"Allow me to give you some advice right now. I suggest you let both of Kinomoto-san and I in, no questions asked whatsoever." she said in an oh-so-sweet voice.

In response, the two men before them gaped at Mei Ling in incredulity, before guffawing like baboons.

"In your dreams, sweetheart," they replied at the same time.

Sakura buried her face in her hands and let out a strangled cry of defeat. Kami-sama! She can't possibly stay outside any longer! It was so cold that she could hardly feel her face or her legs for that matter! From the side, Mei Ling merely shrugged her shoulders at the stubbornness of the hotel staff and took out her cell phone to place an important call instead.

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Hiroki eyed Tomoyo up and down and the latter couldn't help but feel uncomfortable underneath his gaze. Honestly! She couldn't understand why people do that! It's not as though she's some piece of property that one could measure with his or her eye. Besides, to do it so obviously… How uncouth!

"So you're Daidouji Sonomi's daughter," he stated with a hint of arrogance in his tone. Tomoyo had heard about the Director of Hiroki Limited. Apparently, the man before her was a genius who recently invented a device almost similar to an MP3 player. However, his gadget looked more like a single earpiece and instead of having to press the normal functions on a remote control; the device simply reacts to the commands of the owner's voice. While his new contraption was definitely a success, Hiroki-san's personality had left much less to be desired. His sudden rise to fame and riches caused his already large ego to grow even bigger and he was especially obnoxious to those individuals whom he considered to be beneath his social class.

"Yes, sir. Sonomi is my mother." Tomoyo replied politely.

Hiroki nodded. "An agreeable sort of woman. Not much of a talker though… The last time we went to a function together, she hardly spoke three sentences and left me to carry much of the conversation for the rest of the night."

Knowing her mother best, Tomoyo would not describe the former as an introverted type of person. Rather, she concluded that her mother must have tuned Hiroki-san's irritating behaviour out. Not that she could blame her, of course…

"Thank you Hiroki-san. I'd like to think of my mother as such as well." Tomoyo said graciously as she addressed the compliment he made in the beginning.

"Actually, your mother and I talked a little bit about you dear." Hiroki said.

"Oh?" Tomoyo raised her eyebrow.

"She mentioned that you're a fashion designer. Such a damn shame though. I would have thought the Daidouji heiress would have chosen a better form of occupation."

"Pardon me?" Tomoyo frowned. What's wrong with having a job that designs clothes?

Hiroki shook his head and gave Tomoyo a pitying glance. "It is rather unfortunate that your parents did not conceive a son before your father died. Thankfully, I was blessed with two young men, both of whom are already prepared to take over my business if I ever encounter an untimely demise."

Tomoyo's jaw nearly dropped at his statement. This chauvinistic pig! Not only did he manage to insult her sex, he had also implied that she wasn't good enough to take over Daidouji Company.

"Hiroki-san, I don't see how having sons would make much difference and I hardly think it's fair to judge one's capabilities based on their gender," Syaoran said from the side. He knew that the man before him was rude to everyone but his words to Tomoyo were now way out of line. Syaoran couldn't help but feel sorry for Tomoyo at his verbal assault. "Besides, we know that Sonomi Daidouji has been taking care of Daidouji Company for ages now and in my opinion, she's been doing a fantastic job with it."

"Well, I suppose you could count Daidouji-san as an exception. She did study business after all… Though, then again, I don't see how she could've done much with Daidouji Company when she was named CEO after Masato's death. The business was already flourishing even before he passed away," Hiroki said in reference to Tomoyo's father.

Tomoyo bit her lip inwardly to keep herself from snapping back a retort at Hiroki-san. It was true that her family's business was thriving even before her mother took charge. However, one of the reasons why the company still remains to exist to date was because of her mother's hard work.

"While my father certainly paved the way for the company's success, I'm pretty sure he left it in good hands as well." Tomoyo said with a forced smile, in an effort to calm herself down.

"Oh but your opinion is biased my dear. It's quite clear that you would obviously choose your mother's side. Besides what really matters is the future of Daidouji Company right now. Without a suitable heir, how could it possibly manage to keep on going?"

'Argh! That's it!' Tomoyo thought to herself. If this man wanted to play hardball, then fine. So be it!

"Don't worry Hiroki-san. I intend to continue the company's legacy when or if my mother decides to hand the leadership over to me in the near future." Tomoyo said in an even tone of voice. "I know that you don't think much of my work as a fashion designer, but I really don't see much of a difference in a job that designs clothes and one that manages a corporation. The two may focus on different areas but in the end, both still deal with business after all."

"Yes, but –" Hiroki began, but Tomoyo didn't give him the satisfaction of insulting her further.

"Besides, I believe that my work as a fashion designer right now is shaping my abilities as a businesswoman. Not only can I express my artistic side in the clothes that I make, I also have to make sure the administrative part of my job is properly taken care. There are deadlines to meet, orders to place, customers to satisfy… Then there's the issue of a good office environment for my coworkers. And you know what, Hiroki-san… To me, all these responsibilities are worth it, because I'm doing something I really love. There's not a day that goes by where I regret ever taking up this profession. So long as I'm happy with what I do for myself and for others, I see a win-win situation."

Hiroki stared at Tomoyo hard for a moment, unsure of how to take her response. 'What an impertinent young lady,' he thought in disgust. 'This is the daughter that Daidouji Sonomi was so proud of? She doesn't seem like much to boast for especially with that outspoken personality of hers. Quite frankly, Sonomi must have spoiled her way too much as a child. That woman should've put a muzzle in her mouth instead.'

In return, Tomoyo delicately raised her eyebrow at Hiroki-san and silently challenged him for another verbal assault. If she could handle the malicious tabloids after her recent break-up with Sato Jin, then this man was nothing! If he honestly expected her to just take his bloody insults, he could just forget about it!

"Well then, I'll be looking forward to your future endeavours Ms. Daidouji," Hiroki-san said as he raised his champagne glass to her mockingly. "Now if you'll excuse me… I believe I haven't said my hellos to the Mimasaka group."

As he strutted away from them, Tomoyo glared at his retreating back.

"What an insufferable man!" she muttered underneath her breath.

Her words however were not low enough to escape Syaoran's ears.

"Don't worry, I think you handled him quite well," Syaoran told her with a grin. He was very much glad that Tomoyo didn't back down from Hiroki's antics and he was even more impressed with how calm she was in the situation (despite the fact that the man was quite unpleasant to her to say the least). "Now, turn around and smile prettily for the cameras. The crew didn't want to come near us because of Hiroki-san but I saw them taping us from the corner."

Tomoyo did what she was told and made sure that the cameras caught her in a positive mood.

"Is he always like that?" Tomoyo asked from the corner of her lips.

Syaoran shrugged. "Probably… I've only been acquainted with him for a month."

"From what I've heard Hiroki-san's been raised in a family of mostly sons. I believe the only female influence he's had in his earlier life was with his mother." Eriol explained. "But even then, his mother died when he was seven-years-old so his father was practically the one who took care of him most of his life."

Tomoyo sipped her champagne and glanced at the crowded dance floor.

"That's still no excuse for his behaviour," she said as Syaoran led her to be introduced to other people.

A few moments later, Naoko quickly approached Syaoran's side and whispered something urgent in his ear. The latter's eyes looked at his secretary in confusion, while Tomoyo and Eriol only stared at him expectantly. Noticing their curious expressions, Syaoran politely excused himself from the two.

"Did _she_ say what this was all about?" he asked his secretary once they were out of earshot.

"No, sir. But I still have Ms. Mei Ling on the line and she asked to speak to you." Naoko said as she handed him his Blackberry.

"Hello cousin," Mei Ling greeted him cheerfully from the other line.

"Mei Ling, do you mind telling the purpose of this call? Better yet, why don't you explain to me the reason for your lack of appearance in a party that you've arranged yourself?" Syaoran replied tersely.

"You know Xiao Lang, the customary way to address someone over the phone is to first greet them hi and then ask them how they are." Mei Ling chided back at him.

"I hardly think you should be lecturing me on propriety Mei Ling… Considering as you're the one still missing for the event." Syaoran retorted.

Outside Diamond Hotel, Mei Ling rolled her eyes. She's not the formal host of the part so it really doesn't matter whether she was there or not. Besides, Syaoran was probably just angry that he got dragged into this year's Gala. Thinking about it now, her cousin always seemed to have an excuse of not attending most of their corporate parties… unless it was absolutely necessary…

"Geez, I was just kidding! No need to get your knickers in a twist!" Mei Ling said.

An elderly couple passed by Syaoran and he bowed his head to them respectfully. Turning back to his conversation with Mei Ling, Syaoran sighed impatiently.

"What is that you want now Mei Ling?" he asked.

"Oh, well you see, there's a slight problem. I've lost my invitation to the Gala and I can't seem to get past your doormen. I was hoping you could come down to the lobby and do something about it."

Syaoran stared at his Blackberry in disbelief. "You bothered me for this?! Why don't you just give them your bloody name Mei Ling?"

"I tried. And even if I did, I don't think they'll believe that I'm your cousin," she said in Chinese.

Syaoran loudly exhaled in frustration. "Look, even if I wanted to leave this damn party, my hands are tied at the moment. Thanks to you, the entire crew of Studio 24 is here and they won't seem to leave me alone."

"Oh right. I forgot that you still have to attend to them." Mei Ling tapped her heels on the ground. "Well, I don't really mind not coming to the Gala but Kinomoto-san seemed desperate to go inside."

Hearing Sakura's last name, Syaoran's eyes widened in surprise. "Sakura's there with you?"

"Yes. She arrived before I did."

Syaoran glanced at his surroundings and noticed that the cameramen from the bachelor show were watching his moves very carefully. If he were to go meet Sakura downstairs, the crew would certainly follow them. Lord knows just what kind of news would come out if he were spotted in an innocent meeting with her.

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Mei Ling watched in amusement as Sakura continued to argue with the staff of Diamond Hotel. After she mentioned the young girl's name in her conversation with Syaoran, the latter quickly changed his attitude. Before hanging up, he had told her to stay put and that someone would come down to clear the entire misunderstanding up. She didn't have to wait long because a few minutes later, Syaoran's secretary Naoko came out of the building.

"Miss, your cousin has sent me to escort you and your guest to the party," she bowed her head to the former politely.

In return, Mei Ling smiled at her brightly and watched in glee as the faces of the two doormen contorted in bewilderment. She knew that the two employees recognized Naoko because both of them immediately straightened up when she appeared. They must be wondering what a person of her position was associating with someone like her. As they were about to enter the building (with Mei Ling dragging Sakura in tow), one of the men blocked their way.

"Could you move out of the way please?" Naoko asked in a strained tone of voice.

"Gomen (Sorry) Yanagisawa-san. Demo (But) we've been instructed by the head of the PR department not to let anyone who does not have an invitation or isn't part of the guest list in," he told her anxiously.

"The head of the PR department?" A confused Naoko glanced at Mei Ling from the side while the latter in turn simply shrugged.

"Yes. We got word that it was Ms. Mei Ling Li's orders," the other man said. "Something about keeping unwanted tabloids away…"

Naoko's eyebrows furrowed in further puzzlement. She could understand why the security was tight. However…

"Is that right?"

"Yes, ma'am," both employees answered back.

"Well, be that as it may, you didn't have to ban _Ms._ _Mei Ling Li _from the party herself," Naoko pointed out.

_Ms. Mei Ling Li?_

Upon hearing that piece of information, the two employees turned pale and they both gulped in nervousness. They stared back and forth at Sakura and Mei Ling, wondering which one of the girls was related to their head employer.

"You don't mean –"

Even Sakura herself was stunned. She definitely wasn't related to Li Syaoran. So the woman called Naoko must be referring to lady who had been helping her all along… Sakura turned her attention to Mei Ling. Now that she looked at her closer, the latter did resemble Syaoran a little bit.

How could I have not noticed it before?' she thought.

Mei Ling, on the other hand, was unfazed by all of this and instead winked at the two doormen playfully.

"I did warn you guys that you'd regret it," she said while carelessly examining her nails. "I admit… I'm quite impressed with how strict you both are with the guest list. Though the next time I see you push a girl to the ground, I won't let it slide."

"Ah – Err… G-Gomen Ms. Li. Umm… Ano – We didn't…" the two young men stumbled with their words.

In response, Mei Ling only nodded her head to both the employees and smiled.

"Goodnight boys!" she called out, completely ignoring their apologies.

With that she grabbed Sakura's arm and she sauntered past the still stunned men with Naoko trailing her from behind.

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"Naoko, hold her still!" Mei Ling yelled as she bent down to grab Sakura's kicking feet.

"Chotto matte (Wait a second)!" Sakura shouted as she struggled from the two women's grasps. "Hanase (Let go of me)!"

"It's not going to kill you Kinomoto-san!" Mei Ling said as she tied Sakura's ankles to the chair with a scarf. "Besides, I'm doing this for your own good!"

"EHH? This is harassment Li-san! I thought you were nice! But you're not! You're evil, evil, evil!!!" Sakura hollered. "SOMEBODY!!! TASUKETE (Help)!!!"

For a woman so small, Kinomoto Sakura did have a very loud voice. Naoko even had to restrain herself from covering her ears. If she allowed her grip to loosen up, Sakura would surely go berserk again. Luckily, her hands had already been bounded securely. When she tried to escape their grasps earlier, Sakura managed to leave some very deep claw marks on Naoko's right arm. The latter seriously wondered if her boss had some deep dark fetish. Judging from Sakura's rather violent personality, maybe Li Syaoran was a fan of S and M?

Mei Ling grinned maniacally as she approached Sakura with a needle and a sponge.

"Chotto (Wait)!" Sakura's eyes widened in fear. "I didn't come here for this!"

"Relax Kinomoto-san," Mei Ling said in a cheerful voice. "You can thank me later."

"No! Iya da (No)!" Sakura struggled harder. "Hanase (Let go of me)!"

"It's going to be fine! You'll see," Mei Ling assured her.

"Usotsuki (Liar)! Like hell it will!" Sakura shot back.

Mei Ling sighed.

"Okay, fine. I lied. It's going to hurt! A lot!" she said.

The little colour from Sakura's face drained in fear. How on earth did she get into all of this? All she wanted was a stupid key! Instead, she's being held captive by two rather dangerous women.

"Naoko, hold her face steady," Mei Ling instructed Syaoran's secretary.

Once Sakura's face was turned away, Mei Ling quickly stabbed a hole on the former's right ear. When she felt the pain pierce through, Sakura's eyes bulged out...

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Sakura screamed out loud.

Taking the needle just as fast she had punched it through, Mei Ling turned Sakura's face the other way and proceeded to work on her left ear.

"Take a deep breath and –"

Mei Ling didn't have a chance to finish her sentence as Sakura let out another deafening shriek.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

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Thirty minutes later, Sakura stood in an empty balcony looking like one of the socialites that she had always seen from television, newspapers, and magazines. Gone were her casual clothes and in its place was a form-fitting green pastel satin gown. The dress went all the way down to the floor but it left her shoulder and arms out in the open. Mei Ling had wanted to give her an intricate hairstyle but Naoko said that they didn't have much time. In the end, Sakura settled with having her hair curled and let down. Truthfully, she liked it better this way. At least it slightly covered her exposed upper body.

Moments ago, Mei Ling had stayed by her side to keep her company. However, when some of the guests found out who she was, the former was immediately swept away to talk business. Conversely, Naoko separated ways with the two of them to meet her boss. Not that Sakura cared much. She saw the way that the young woman had been eyeing her in the hotel room and she somehow got the feeling that Naoko was judging her with derision and scepticism. But as mentioned before, it's not as though what other people thought of her mattered. If they didn't like the way she was, then they could all just piss off. Life was too short to be spent on worrying about the expectations of others.

'Besides, I didn't come to this party to make friends,' Sakura said to herself. 'Once I get hold of Tomoyo, I'm out of here.'

She was about to go back into the ballroom when Sakura stopped in mid-step. Pain shot through her ankle and she held onto the post for support. Blasted heels! This was why she could never agree to Tomoyo when her friend asked her to model her designs in the past. As a teenager, she never really did learn how to properly walk in shoes that are at least an inch higher from the ground. Even with flat shoes, Sakura would still find herself stumbling clumsily on the ground.

"Need a hand?" a gentle voice asked above her.

Sakura gazed up and was instantly met by Syaoran's intense amber eyes.

"Li," she called out in a breathless voice. Seeing his handsome face, Sakura suddenly remembered the time when he kissed her on the cheek and she blushed at the recollection. Fortunately, it was dark enough outside to hide the rosy tint of her cheeks… Or maybe not since Syaoran was giving her a rather curious expression.

"Syaoran," he said so suddenly.

"Huh?" Sakura asked, confused.

Syaoran in turn only grinned and said in clarification, "My name is Syaoran."

"Umm, yeah. Right, right." Sakura replied distractedly, while trying to ignore the aching blisters of her feet. Honestly! How women can stand on shoes that are stick thin and three inches above the ground is beyond her comprehension!

"What are you doing out here?" asked Syaoran. "You'll catch a cold wearing only that dress. Not that it doesn't look pretty on you… I mean, it does. You look amazing tonight."

"Thanks. Mei Ling-san picked it out." Sakura said and for some reason, she felt a tingling sense of pleasure from his compliment.

"I'm glad to see that my cousin has great taste." Syaoran said good-naturedly. "But that still doesn't answer my first question. Why aren't you inside mingling with the other guests?"

Sakura wrapped her arms around her waist and gave a noncommittal shrug. She couldn't dare possibly admit that the reason why she was stuck outside was because she could barely walk! Especially not in front of a man who lived for events such as these!

"I guess I just didn't want to be in the way," Sakura said; her words ringing with half-truth. "I don't know anyone in there and I – I don't know how to approach them either."

Syaoran looked at her for a brief moment and in the end, he accepted her explanation. How could he forget that Sakura did not run in the same social circles as him? Or how awkward she must feel for being in a room full of strangers! It's just that… It felt so natural to be around her that one simply forgets the differences of their backgrounds. In all honesty, Syaoran believed that Sakura wouldn't have any trouble at all, getting along with his guests. She had this vivacious personality that could attract others toward her no matter what character they may possess. 'All she has to do is be her self,' Syaoran thought. Seeing her shiver from the cool night breeze, he proceeded to take off his jacket.

"Well, at least put this on so you don't get sick," said Syaoran, while draping the black coat on top of her shoulders.

"A-Arigatou," she replied as she wore it properly and snuggled deeper into its warmth. Sakura could smell his aftershave and strangely, the scent of sandalwood from the fabric. Oddly enough, she liked it.

For a few minutes, the two spent a companionable silence just looking out at the sky with the crescent moon shining down upon them. Despite the chilly weather, being in each other's company, away from all the glamour and loud music inside was more pleasurable than both cared to actually admit. The comforting silence, however, was interrupted by Syaoran first…

"I'm glad you came," he said, turning to stare at Sakura fully.

"Oh? A party like this with a million people… I didn't think I would be missed." Sakura joked.

"Neither did I," said Syaoran with a straight face. But his lips quickly betrayed this façade as he burst out laughing from seeing Sakura's appalled expression. "I'm kidding. I really was hoping you would show up."

"You're not trying to seduce me with your words, are you?" Sakura raised her eyebrow – a tendency that she seemed to be doing a lot recently.

"Why? Are you seducible?" Syaoran asked, not missing a beat.

Sakura shook her head and stuck out her tongue at him. "Not in the least!"

As the two playfully bantered with each other, Syaoran heard the orchestra changing their song to "The Way You Look Tonight" and an idea quickly sparked into his mind. Glancing back at Sakura, Syaoran took the opportunity to extend his arm out.

"Would you care to dance, milady?" he asked charmingly.

Sakura's eyes widened in mild surprise… The words _she_ and _dance_ never did mix. Literally! And plus, her feet were killing her already. She'd rather stay rooted on the spot if she could help it.

Shaking her head no, Sakura politely declined his invitation. "I don't think that's a good idea."

Syaoran raised his eyebrow questioningly. "May I ask why not? I saw you eyeing the people inside earlier and I was under the impression that you wanted to dance as well."

It was true that the movements of the guests had caught Sakura's eye. Ever since she entered the ballroom, Sakura couldn't help but be in awe at how the couples looked so magnificent together. It was like watching the party scene from Cinderella or Anastasia! Except that this was in real life…

"I can't dance. At all…" Sakura admitted lamely.

Syaoran cocked his head to the side. That reason alone shouldn't stop her from enjoying the night!

"So? I'll teach you," he said.

Sakura stared at her feet apprehensively. From the distance, she could tell that they were already red and swollen. In front of her, Syaoran noticed the direction of Sakura's gaze and followed it. He frowned when he realized what was causing her so much discomfort. Bending down, he lifted Sakura's dress and placed her foot to his knee.

"Ch-Ch-Chotto (Hey)! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" she cried out indignantly as she held onto his shoulders for support.

Quietly, Syaoran slipped the sandals off her feet. First the right, and then the left and carefully, he placed the shoes to the side. By the time he stood up, Sakura's arms were still around him.

"Now that we've dispensed of that, put both your feet on top of mine," Syaoran said while grasping her back side and taking her right hand in his.

"EHHH?"

"Just do it," Syaoran told her in a serious voice.

"This doesn't look very dignified, you know!" Sakura pointed out but still did what she had been instructed to do.

"Well, would you rather get your feet dirty or frost-bitten?" Syaoran asked.

Sakura didn't even have the chance to answer back to his sarcasm because the moment he finished his question, she felt herself being spun dizzily on the ground. For a man so tall and who also had a lean physique, Syaoran's movements were nothing less than graceful and Sakura was mildly surprised at how light his feet were. In fact, it did not even seem like they were dancing at all but rather it felt as though the pair of them were floating in mid-air.

"And you said you couldn't dance," Syaoran teased her, all the while, pulling Sakura body closer. The gesture sent Sakura's pulse raising as she felt Syaoran's broad chest underneath his shirt.

"Umm… I… I was telling the truth," Sakura struggled to keep her thoughts together. "You see, I'm really clumsy and – and I trip over things. The last time I've danced this close to someone was in high school and when we did the conga line, I was such a klutz that I made everyone trip around me. It was horrible! It created this whole domino effect of falling people. Actually, every time I see my old high school friends, they still refer to me as the girl who made the entire party crash! And they meant that literally!"

Syaoran chuckled at Sakura's teenage story.

"You don't seem to have a problem dancing with me though," he pointed out.

"Believe me, I'm quite surprised myself," Sakura said. But before she could actually feel proud of the said accomplishment, Sakura's left bare foot got caught up with the hem of her dress. She felt herself swaying to the side and fully expecting to come crashing down on the ground, Sakura squeezed her eyes. Strangely enough (to her at least), the impact of the ground never came and instead, she found herself with Syaoran's hand supporting her by the back.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine… Thank you," Sakura replied, very much embarrassed by her lack of class. "This dress is beautiful but I have to admit, it's a tad long without the heels."

Syaoran squeezed her right hand and he smiled at Sakura gently. Lifting her upright again, Syaoran moved much slower and more carefully than before.

"You were doing fine before the last turn. Try not to move around too much. Let me lead you," he said.

"Ah, a-alright."

"And relax… I'm not going to bite you. I just want to dance with you…"

And to Syaoran's delight, Sakura's body conceded to his request and he felt her head rest on his shoulder. Humming the song to her ear, Syaoran continued to sway the pair of them in tune to the music.

_Lovely… Never, ever change.  
Keep that breathless charm.  
Won't you please arrange it?  
'Cause I love you… Just the way you look tonight._

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Tomoyo walked out of the ladies room feeling more cool and refreshed. She had spent much of the night dancing away with her Eriol-sempai and even though she had not seen Syaoran that much, she still found the event to be quite enjoyable. Strangely, the latter seemed to have disappeared after his secretary handed him (what seemed to be) an important phone call. Nevertheless, Eriol still proved to be great company as the pair of them talked about their university memories and what has happened since then in their lives. Reminiscing down memory lane felt great but for some reason, Tomoyo noticed that the Eriol back then and the Eriol now had changed quite considerably. In Tomoyo's eyes, despite his kind gestures toward her, Eriol seemed to be more formal and serious with other people. It was true that Eriol was hard to approach when they were still in school but now, a barrier existed that appeared to be more impenetratable and Tomoyo wondered what had caused him to be this way.

'I really shouldn't be thinking this way about him especially when Eriol-sempai's been nothing but nice to me,' Tomoyo thought guiltily.

As she was about to enter the ballroom again, a disturbance around the corner caught her eye.

"I – I'm sorry," a timid voice called out. "I didn't mean to… It was… It was an accident."

"I don't care if it was an accident! You ruined my dress, idiot!" another person said angrily.

Tomoyo frowned. What on earth was going on? Moving closer to the scene, she recognized the timid girl to be Sasaki Rika and three of the other bachelorettes from the show crowding around her.

"You think you're so smart, don't you? Just because Li-sama called you pretty last week," one of the girls sneered.

"I – I…"

"Who would ever think you're pretty is beyond me! Ugly girl!" another girl said maliciously.

At this point, Tomoyo could not take it anymore. After seeing three people bullying a defenceless girl, one could hardly expect her not to intervene.

"Hey! You there! Stop harassing her!" she said.

The three women turned towards Tomoyo and glared at her in return.

"Oh it's just you Daidouji! Get out of here! This isn't any of your business!" the ringleader yelled.

"No! You guys should stop this! Sasaki-san didn't do anything to you!" Tomoyo replied firmly as she approached Rika and helped the latter up to her feet.

"I beg to differ Daidouji, but this girl destroyed my dress on purpose! Look!" the bachelorette pointed at a barely noticeable wine stain on her gown.

Tomoyo followed the spot she was pointing at and in return, gave the bachelorette a blank stare.

"She said it was an accident. Besides you can't do anything about that stain until you get home." Tomoyo said calmly.

"Exactly! I bet this is what she's been hoping for all along. She must have really wanted to ruin my image in front of Li-sama!"

"It wasn't… It wasn't intentional…" Rika whimpered behind Tomoyo. "Someone bumped into me and I lost my balance…. I didn't mean to spill the drink on you. I swear…"

"Yeah, whatever!" one of the two other girls called out derisively.

Tomoyo pursed her lips. Sasaki-san already apologized profusely. What more could they possibly want from her?

"Well, what do you expect her to do about it then?" Tomoyo rolled her eyes. "She clearly is sorry for the entire mess. Just forgive her already!"

"Sorry?!" the female instigator looked back and forth at Tomoyo and Rika incredulously. "How does being sorry help me?! How can I go out there now looking like a mess?"

Tomoyo sighed and counted to three in her head before answering to the bachelorette's "dilemma."

"You're wearing a red dress and one could hardly see the stain unless you point it out to them. I think you'll survive." Tomoyo said dryly.

The girl's jaw dropped and she turned a deep shade of red from Tomoyo's reply.

"Why you!"

Rika covered her eyes as the bachelorette raised her hand up to strike Tomoyo but her friend quickly caught her arm.

"Keiko! People are coming out!" her friend whispered in a low voice.

Seeing some of the guests leaving the ballroom, Keiko immediately put her hand down to the side and tried to compose herself as best as she could. Pulling the strap of her dress back to place, she fixed Tomoyo and Rika both a menacing stare instead.

"You'll regret standing up for that vermin beside you, Daidouji," Keiko growled out.

"Oh? I didn't realize that the vermin could talk." Tomoyo replied oh-so-sweetly.

"Watch your back! I don't care how famous you are but you don't know who you're messing with!" Keiko told her in a dangerous tone of voice.

In response, Tomoyo only raised an eyebrow and watched as Keiko sauntered away with her two cronies in tow.

* * *

**End of Chapter 8**

**Authors Note: **I was extremely happy when I realized that I had over 100 reviews. You don't know how much it means to me hearing your responses. Every busy day that I've had this past month couldn't deter my mood when I received feedback from you lovely reviewers. Thank you so much and I hope you would continue telling me what you think of this story or even way on how I could improve it. Again, thank you.

A reflection on Chapter 7 and 8: a reviewer mentioned that the dress mix up was Naoko's fault for not putting Sakura's name on the card. Note that she's only partly to blame since Syaoran did tell her not to put any salutations whatsoever. What Syaoran meant was not to put sweet greetings like "Dearest" or "My Lovely's" since Sakura did call his lines to be cheesy. However, Naoko took it to mean not to put any greetings at all. Besides, neither of them knew that Tomoyo and Sakura shared a townhouse together or that one of them is a contestant in the show – you'll figure out why I say this in future chapters.

A curious little fact… Chapter 8 was actually going to be called, "A Perverted Prince Charming, the Friendly Stepsister, and the Clueless Cinderella" but I opted to go for "The Magic of the Sexy Godmother" in the end. The sexy godmother, of course, refers to Mei Ling who will play a very important role in the story. Just to put some of your minds to rest, there is no hidden reason why Mei Ling is nice to Sakura. She simply is because she thought Sakura was a nice girl, so why be mean to her? Also, there might be some questions as to why Mei Ling didn't give her name to doormen in the beginning. After all, her name would have been part of the guest list given that she was the one who created it… The reason for that stems from Mei Ling's playful side. She didn't like the way the employees were so rude to Sakura and herself and she was expecting Syaoran himself to reprimand them. However, it was Naoko who came down from the party instead so in the end, Mei Ling's identity was still revealed to the two employees.

Also, I got the idea for Sakura's dress and hairstyle from the movie "She's the Man." It is the same outfit that Amanda Bynes wore at her debutante ball. I've tried looking for a picture of it on the net but I can't seem to find it anywhere so I had to rely on memory to describe it. I was actually going to make her wear a pink dress since that is her signature colour but I thought it might be too similar to Tomoyo's black and pink outfit. Then again, Tomoyo's gown was actually intended for Sakura so pink would still be her signature colour.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. I can't promise to write any sooner because my final exams for summer school are coming up and I've been doing a lot more things in my internship. I'll try my hardest though to update in a timely fashion but I can't make any promises.

Much love, Lily's Thorns


	9. Of Promises and Obligations

**Disclaimer: **The author does not own Card Captor Sakura or anything affiliated with it. She only has rights to the plot of the story and its AU characters.

**Summary:** Famous fashion designer and Daidouji Toy Company heiress, Daidouji Tomoyo, has just been dumped by her actor ex-boyfriend. What's worst, he called Tomoyo an emotional abuser in front of millions of Japanese people. To soften the blow to her reputation, Tomoyo's best friend, Kinomoto Sakura, hatched a plan for Tomoyo to appear in a new reality show "Are You The One?" and hoped that the former would make a great comeback out of it. All seemed fine at the beginning, but trouble ensues when Sakura catches Li Syaoran, the bachelor of the show's, attention instead. To make matters complicated, Sakura's resistance against his charms also deteriorate over the course of the show. Will she finally succumb to the passion that Li's kisses promise or will she stay true to her friend who has been with her since childhood?

**

* * *

**

**Say That You Love Me**

**Chapter ****9: ****Of Promises and Obligations**

* * *

"If I had known you were coming, I would have left the extra invitation in your purse or I would have at least asked that your name be included in the guest list," Tomoyo said to Sakura as they drove back to their townhouse. 

The Christmas Gala at the Diamond Hotel had ended close to dawn. In truth, the party was actually supposed to conclude at two o'clock in the morning but everyone seemed to be having so much fun that many of the guests did not leave until daybreak.

In response to Tomoyo's statement, Sakura merely shrugged while she signalled right on the road.

"I didn't expect to come either," she replied while stifling a huge yawn at the same time. "I was in such a rush this morning that I forgot to take the keys with me and I just didn't fancy sitting outside in the cold."

"You're lucky that someone was there to help you out though. I didn't expect you to be acquainted with Li Mei Ling. A friend of mine introduced me to her this evening. Lovely woman."

"Umm, I wouldn't exactly say that I'm well acquainted with her," said Sakura vaguely.

"What do you mean?" a curious Tomoyo asked.

"I met her at Studio 24 on the first night. I didn't know where the change rooms were and she was kind enough to point them out to me," Sakura explained, though she left the part about Mei Ling giving her the wrong directions out. She remembered how angry Eriol-san had been when he and Mei Ling caught the Syaoran and her in a rather compromising position together; and the way he threatened her afterwards…

"Oh, I see," Tomoyo said and then she sighed wistfully. "Though I wish I knew you were coming to the Gala. I wanted to see this new dress that I made on you too but I admit, the one you're wearing right now looks great too."

Sakura looked down at the green dress that Mei Ling lent her. She hadn't worn a gown in so long. To think that the last time she donned one was in her high school prom.

'Too bad, I have to give it back,' Sakura thought. 'A dress like this must have cost a fortune… Mei Ling-san would want it returned to her for sure…'

"By the way Sakura-chan, how was your date with the manager?" Tomoyo asked out of the blue.

"Ryuu? It was alright, but we've decided to start things off as friends first."

"Friends?!" Tomoyo repeated in bewilderment. "And you're sure he's okay with that?"

Sakura nodded. "Yeah. Positive. He was, after all, the one who suggested it."

Tomoyo glanced at her friend and eased into the passenger seat more comfortably.

"Well, I suppose that's alright then. So where did he take you?"

"Oh… We went to this nice café though called Dolce. Let me tell you; their cakes are fantastic! Especially the strawberry chocolate port cake! You and I should go there sometime on our day off." Sakura said, already drooling at the prospect of having more desserts.

Tomoyo laughed at Sakura's childish expression when she mentioned the sweets she ate. No wonder they were friends. They were both fond of sweet foods.

"It's a shame though that I didn't see you at the party earlier. You could have kept me company," she said while poking Sakura's arm.

"I tried looking for you, but that place was just too crowded." Sakura told her. "Besides, wasn't the camera crew filming during the party? I don't think they would've been too happy if I stuck by your side for the rest of the night."

"I don't think they would've minded," Tomoyo giggled. "- most of them were too busy eating the food or ogling at some of the guests."

"No kidding!"

Tomoyo shook her head.

"I'm serious! Well, they did their jobs at the beginning of the party but I think they started to loosen up a bit as the night wore on. I even saw several of the crew trying to pick up the hotel staff. It was a bit embarrassing actually."

'So that's why nobody followed Li outside,' Sakura concluded correctly. 'I was wondering why nothing seemed to disturb us.'

"Anyway, what did you do at the party Sakura-chan? Don't tell me you actually spent the entire night searching for me!"

Sakura kept her eyes on the road before answering. Should she tell Tomoyo the truth - that she spent much of the night by Li Syaoran's side? And why shouldn't she? This was her best fried she was talking about after all, and they hardly kept any secrets from one another. Besides, it's not as if Syaoran and her did anything wrong.

"I was with Li in the balcony."

Hearing this, Tomoyo sat upright and stared at Sakura intently.

"You were?" Tomoyo asked, trying to appear nonchalant. "And what - what were you guys doing together?"

Sakura glanced back at her friend from the side. Obviously, Tomoyo would suspect something wrong. Given Li Syaoran's public image and the notorious exposes about him, even Sakura would be inclined to think suspiciously of the situation as well. Well, she would be thinking of that if she were an outsider to the scene rather than a part of it.

"Don't give me that look, 'Moyo. Nothing happened." Sakura said, turning their car to the driveway. "I think he went outside to get some fresh air and I just happened to be there at the same time."

"Oh?" Tomoyo raised her eyebrow, still doubtful.

Sakura sighed impatiently. "We just talked okay. Besides, that's normal considering that I did help him out last Sunday. Remember?"

Tomoyo stared at Sakura with uncertainty in her eyes. It's not Syaoran's reputation that made her feel so uncomfortable about all of this. Something about the entire thing just seemed odd… Why on earth would Syaoran, the host of the Gala, decide to spend a quiet evening with Sakura, a woman he barely knew? And, Sakura… Tomoyo thought she disliked Syaoran. What would compel her to keep him company? Oh God, they weren't doing something intimate together, were they? Well, it wouldn't be much of a surprise on Syaoran's part - the man was, after all, known for his wild debauchery but that still doesn't explain Sakura's presence there. Tomoyo knew that her friend wasn't a loose girl… Or at least she thought she wasn't.

"Tomoyo-chan," Sakura said her friend's name carefully.

The latter, however, ignored her as she counted backwards from ten in an attempt to calm down.

Breathe in…

Breathe out...

No… Sakura would never do anything like that behind her back. Looking at the big picture now, wasn't she overreacting just a little bit… And why in the bloody hell was she acting like this? It's not as though Syaoran gave any indication that he liked her better than the other bachelorettes. It was true that he spends more time with her than any of the other girls but that surely didn't mean anything. What's more, it's not like she had any feelings for him, right?

'I'm making too much of a big deal out of this,' Tomoyo said to herself.

"Sorry," Tomoyo muttered as she got out of the car. It was so low that Sakura barely heard her.

Meanwhile, Sakura stared at Tomoyo's back in surprise. When she admitted being with Syaoran for the night, she hadn't expected Tomoyo to react the way she did. Well, okay maybe she was anticipating for her friend to be a little bit suspicious… But her voice back then… It almost sounded like she was jealous of Sakura for being in Syaoran's company.

'Tomoyo, you're not starting to have a thing for Li Syaoran, are you?' Sakura wondered, but dared not to ask.

"'Moyo," Sakura called out from behind as the former opened the door to their home. "- I'm telling you, nothing happened between us. You and I - we're friends. I would never do anything so mean to you."

In response, Tomoyo turned to face Sakura and let out a sheepish smile. "I know, which is why I'm a bit embarrassed that I even doubted you for a second."

Sakura stared at her friend intently.

"I know how much this show means to you… How important it is for your career… And I would never do anything to jeopardize that."

Tomoyo held onto the doorknob as she wiped her eyes for tears that were threatening to fall.

"Thanks, Sakura-chan," she said, grateful for her friend's assurance.

"Don't forget - I'm on your side, baka (dummy)!" Sakura replied while pushing Tomoyo inside their townhouse. "Besides, Li Syaoran and I barely even know each other. We're more than strangers, yes. But we're also less than acquaintances. So how can you possibly think there would be something going on there?!"

"Gomen (sorry), gomen (sorry)!"

"Well, since you've had a rather stressful ride home, why don't you go take a bath first? I'll go next." Sakura told her friend as she took off her shoes.

"Are you sure?" Tomoyo asked, already going up the stairs.

"Yes, go already!"

As she watched her friend disappear into the bathroom, Sakura's bright smile turned into a frown and she suddenly felt a heavy burden on her chest. It was true that nothing really was going on between her and Syaoran… But to say it out loud so casually, why did such words sound so wrong to her ears?

* * *

Syaoran adjusted his reading glasses as he reviewed the reports that Naoko had just handed to him. Who would have thought that even during holidays, he would be working his ass off! Well, he should have expected this… With Li Corporation expanding more of their business in Japan, there was bound to be a huge amount of workload. Stretching his arms tiredly, Syaoran was about to ask Naoko to get him a cup of coffee from Starbucks when Li Yelan suddenly burst into his office. 

"Xiao Lang," she greeted her son while she took off her gloves and threw her beige coat by the couch carelessly.

"Mother," Syaoran stood up from his leather chair in surprise. "What brings you here? I thought you went back to Hong Kong for Christmas?"

"I did," Yelan replied as she seated herself in front of Syaoran and the latter did the same. "In fact, I was just in your Auntie Reina's sitting room a couple of hours ago preparing the menu for the Li family dinner."

"Oh…"

"Unfortunately, I had to leave the preparations to her because I received a rather alarming call from your cousin Mei Ling."

"And? What did she say?" Syaoran asked, already going back to his work. He figured that Mei Ling had just given his mother the latest Japanese gossip and that his mother flew all the way back to Tokyo to share it with him. It's happened before…

"She gave me a brief review on last weekend's Christmas Gala." Yelan stared at Syaoran pointedly. "Mei Ling told me that despite the large number of available women in the party, you hardly danced at all nor did you associate much with the bachelorettes of the show."

"Don't tell me that you came back all the way to Japan to criticize my abilities as a host. Seems like a waste of money and energy to me…" Syaoran replied, without looking up from the documents. "Besides, were you not lecturing me on my 'immoral' attitude towards women a couple of months ago? I would have thought that you'd be happy to hear that I've at least kept my distance from them for a night."

Yelan raised her eyebrow.

"It's true that I did want you to curb your playboy mannerisms but that doesn't explain why you made yourself scarce at the party. I heard you disappeared for much of the night and that you did not come back until it was time to say goodbye to the guests. Apparently, you left many of the girls quite disappointed."

"The condition you gave me was to be part of the show. You did not however tell me that I had to be an active participant." Syaoran retorted tersely.

"Xiao Lang, I don't think you're taking this show seriously!" Yelan frowned at her son. "Did you honestly believe that I would just thrust you into some bachelor contest if it weren't important?!"

"Important?!" Syaoran echoed in disbelief. "You wanted to punish me for getting caught in my late night rendezvous with Miyu! How could you expect me to play the Prince Charming part well when I'm practically being forced to do it?!"

"You're wrong Xiao Lang! It may have seemed like the reason I pushed you into this show was to punish you… But it is more than that!" Yelan told him angrily. "Li Corporation is facing a crisis because of your rakish ways!"

"Yes, you've mentioned that before! But I don't see how my affairs could possibly damage our reputation now!" Syaoran replied back hotly.

Yelan pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.

"Some of our deals in Hong Kong have already been cut off," she finally admitted. "- and as I have suspected; it has to do with your lecherous scandals with women. I've spoken with several of our partners and they're reluctant to do any business with us because they think you might steal their wives away."

"What?!" Syaoran slapped his mahogany desk hard. "That's ridiculous! I would never -"

"You did, Xiao Lang!" Yelan cut through him. "You did! With Tanaka Miyu, no less! A famous model! And now the entire corporation has to pay the price!"

"Haven't you tried reasoning with them? Surely they must know that our business has a lot to offer," he said. "They couldn't possibly pass up an opportunity with us simply because of the tabloids."

"Believe me, I've tried getting them to come back but they told me that they don't want to be stuck in anawkward relationship with Li Corp. just like Tanaka Jirou now."

Syaoran ran his hand through his messy hair in exasperation. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?!"

"I warned you that it would happen. Besides, would it have made a difference if I informed you about it?" Yelan asked.

"I don't know!" Syaoran shouted. "Yes… No… Perhaps… Well, screw it then! Who needs partners like them anyway?"

"Xiao Lang!" Yelan glared at her son for using such vulgar language in front of her. "The partners are the least of your worries right now. Kami-sama, there's more… Oh believe me, there's more… Haven't you wondered why the board of directors have been strict towards you as well?"

"Actually, I didn't really notice considering that they've always been on my case." Syaoran said dryly.

Yelan sighed as she massaged her throbbing temples.

"They were planning to overthrow you as CEO, Xiao Lang," she confessed to him, dropping another bombshell on his lap.

"WHAT?!"

Yelan nodded in affirmation. "And they almost did; the day those pictures of you and Miyu came out. I don't know whether they've been planning it for a long time, but, after some convincing (from Tanaka Jirou it seems), they're wary that you are more of a liability than an asset."

"That's preposterous! I've given this company a lot of my time and effort for the past eight years! I wouldn't just let all my hard work succumb to nothing!"

"I know that Xiao Lang," Yelan said patiently. "- but the board needed to be convinced that you have your priorities in order!"

"And let me guess; is that the reason why I'm stuck in a silly bachelor show?" Syaoran asked derisively, already connecting the dots.

"YES! I promised them that with this contest, you'd be too busy finding a wife among those girls rather than play around with their wives instead!"

"Typical of you to make things more complicated than they need to be!" Syaoran raised his hands up in the air. "Why didn't you just hire a prostitute that could masquerade around as the future Mrs. Li?"

Yelan clenched her fists. "As unscrupulous as you are with women, Xiao Lang, I expect you to honour your marriage vows. A divorce is out of the question! Given what's happened in the past, you know how strict the Li Clan is! Besides, you underestimate the girls in the bachelor show, Xiao Lang. If you think for one second that I would let you be married off to some stranger, you're dead wrong."

"What do you mean?" Syaoran asked his mother slowly.

"All those girls, my dear son, are socialites or have at least good family standing! When Studio 24 asked you to be their new bachelor, I made a deal with them. In return for your appearance, they agreed to let Mei Ling and I choose the contestants."

"You didn't…"

"Oh believe it, Xiao Lang. If you needed to be married, it might as well be to someone I approve of!" Yelan snapped.

"And Eriol? Was he in on this too?"

"Not at first," Yelan told him truthfully. "- but he seemed to have open up to the idea. In fact, he has already voted on one of the girls."

"This… This is ridiculous!" Syaoran said incredulously. "After hearing all this, you can't expect me to play along in this scam!"

"Oh yes, you will!" Yelan told him sternly. "I've given you a solution. It's up to you whether or not you would back down from the challenge."

"And if I do?" Syaoran stared at his mother defiantly.

"Well then, you've just given the board of directors the perfect excuse to throw you out of leadership of the company you claim to love so dearly."

* * *

Christmas Day… 

Sakura listened to the happy Christmas songs playing on the P.A. system as she walked in the brightly decorated hallway of Tokyo University Hospital. In her hands, a small bouquet of yellow sunflowers lay gently in them, along with a neatly wrapped package in red and green paper. Turning around a corner, Sakura knocked on the door of room labelled 203: Kinomoto Fujitaka before entering it.

"Sakura!" a delighted voice called out from the bed.

Sakura stared at a man with slightly greying auburn hair and let out a small smile. Putting the flowers by the bedside table, she approached him and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead.

"Merry Christmas, Otou-san (Dad)," she said.

"Merry Christmas to you too, dear." Fujitaka replied back happily. "I was wondering when you'd come by to visit me."

"Sorry. I've been busy with work," Sakura said, straightening up and placing the sunflowers she brought with her in an empty vase.

"Oh, I don't blame you dear. Anyway, the nurses here have been keeping me company and also, I don't know if you've heard, but I've got a new neighbour."

"That's wonderful, Otou-san," Sakura said offhandedly as she checked her father's monitor screen, his IV drip, and temperature. Luckily, everything seemed normal.

"Isn't it? I finally have someone to talk to who's the same age as me. Not that I don't enjoy little kids but I've sort of missed intellectual conversations. One could hardly keep talking about colour and ponies now."

Sakura sat down beside her father and reached out to squeeze his free hand.

"Any good news?" she asked softly.

"Yes, actually!" Sakura stared at her father with a slightly hopeful look. "The hospital stopped serving us fruits for desserts everyday. We have green jello now! Well, every Friday that is!"

"Otou-san," Sakura groaned.

"Okay, sometimes, it's red jello! But I like the green ones better." Fujitaka said in a laughing voice.

"You know that's not what I'm asking about," Sakura said, leaping off the bed and walking over by the window sill.

"Sakura-chan, it's Christmas. Just for this day, can we forget the fact that I'm sick and just enjoy the holidays," Fujitaka murmured.

Sakura stared at her father's forlorn reflection from the window and sighed. His reluctance to talk about his health must mean that he's not getting any better.

"Fine," she said, sounding defeated.

"How's Tomoyo-chan?" her father asked, quickly changing the topic of their conversation.

"She's alright. She got into that new bachelor show that channel 24 is hosting," Sakura told him.

"That's great!" Fujitaka said. "I read about her break up with Sato Jin in the newspaper. It's such a shame. They looked good together too."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "No, it's good that that relationship ended. That man was unworthy of Tomoyo-chan anyway. He's a scum."

Fujitaka chuckled at his daughter's angry diatribe.

"It's true! He's the worst. He dumps Tomoyo-chan over the phone and then the next day, during a press conference, he tells the entire world that she's the reason why their relationship ended. I mean, what kind of man is that? Putting all the blame on a helpless girl! He didn't even have the guts to admit that he's the villain here!"

"I must say, I'm a bit surprised. Sato Jin seemed like such a nice young man on television." Fujitika said outloud. "I heard he recently donated five million yen to the World Wildlife Fund."

"Trust me, Otou-san (Dad). That's all an act. No matter how much money he spends on saving the whales, Sato is nowhere near nice." Sakura proclaimed.

Fujitaka merely smiled but deep down inside, he really was quite pleased to see that he raised his daughter to be loyal to her friends.

"Well, I'm not too worried about Tomoyo. She's a nice girl. I don't think she would have any problems looking for happiness elsewhere," he said.

"Yeah… You're right…" Sakura said and turned to sit back down at the edge of the hospital bed. Glancing off at the bedside table, her eyes caught the package she had been carrying earlier and she realized that she hadn't given her Christmas gift to Fujitaka yet.

"I almost forgot, this is for you." Sakura handed her father the present.

"Sakura-chan, my dear, you shouldn't have."

"It's not much," Sakura said in embarrassment. "- but I know you don't like watching television that much and I figured, what else can you do in this room?"

Fujitaka opened the gift eagerly and to his delight, a thick book fell out of from all the wrapping paper.

"'Kura, I love it. Thank you," he said as he reached over to envelope his daughter in a warm embrace.

Sakura, in return, patted her father in the back awkwardly.

"I know you miss going to your archaeological digs and when I saw this book in the store, I thought, 'Hey! If Dad can't come to Atlantis, then Atlantis must come to him.'" Sakura said, in reference to the book she gave him.

Fujitaka slowly released his daughter from his grasp and stared at her tenderly. Oh how many years have passed since he's been confined to the hospital and as each day, each week, each month, and each year wore on, Sakura was looking more and more like her mother. Except of course, while Kinomoto Nadeshiko always wore a positive smile on her face, Sakura had a very haggard and tired appearance on her. Fujitaka couldn't help but feel guilty as he knew that he was the major reason why his daughter seemed overworked.

"I love you, Sakura," he said. "You don't know how much… And I'm sorry for putting all the responsibilities on you."

Sakura eyed her father warily. "Well, who else will be taking care of you, Otou-san (Dad)? Other than me."

"I know… But it's usually the father who takes care of his child… Not the other way around." Fujitaka replied back sadly.

"Otou-san," Sakura called out in an exasperated voice. Why must their conversation always end up with about this?

"Tomoyo told me that you didn't apply for graduate school this year," Fujitaka gave his daughter a pain-staking glance.

"It's not like I had a choice," Sakura told him, sighing. "We're barely breaking even right now. School's got to be the last thing on my mind."

"Even so," Fujitaka brushed away Sakura's bangs to the side. "- I don't want your studies to suffer. I know you have your own dreams to. When you were young, you always told me that someday, you would become a doctor."

Sakura shrugged and stroked her father's arm.

"That was back then… This is now," she muttered underneath her breath.

"Sakura, I don't want you to put you life on hold because of me. You and I both know that I'm not going to get better. Maybe, it's time we really -"

Sakura stared at her father in disbelief.

"No!" she uttered the word out sharply. "I can't believe we're discussing this again! I've done everything I can in the past several years to make sure you get better! The doctor's said that there's a chance that your cancer will disappear and as long as there is that chance, no matter how small it may be, I won't let the treatments stop!"

"Dear, I only -"

"I know what you're trying to do!" Sakura cut through his words. "I know you're worried about me so you're giving me an easy way out! But for whose sake have I been pushing myself for?!"

"Sakura…" Fujitaka hugged his daughter tightly.

"I don't want to give up yet, Otou-san. Not now. I'm fighting my end, so please fight on your side too," Sakura implored him, trying her hardest not to burst out into tears of frustration.

* * *

Sakura stared at the huge cabin-style hotel before her in awe. After the Christmas holidays, Studio 24 sent an e-mail to Tomoyo informing her that the remaining contestants of "Are You The One?" have been requested to spend a relaxing week with Syaoran in the mountains of Hokkaido. Unlike the previous event, however, the invitation was strictly for the bachelorettes themselves. In spite of the exclusivity of their destination, Tomoyo was determined to bring Sakura along. Whether it was because of her poor nerves or the guilt she might be feeling about what had happened in the car last weekend, Sakura did not know… All the same, the latter was glad to be tagging along as this would be her first time going outside of Tokyo. 

"Sakura-chan, hayaku (hurry up)! All the good rooms will be taken if you just stand out there!" Tomoyo waved at her from the receptionist table.

"H-Hai (Coming)!" Sakura answered, still amazed at how beautiful their lodging was. She shouldn't have expected anything less. This was Li Syaoran after all! The man probably lived in a castle back in Hong Kong!

"I've gotten us twin rooms. I hope you don't mind that we're sharing," Tomoyo said.

Sakura shook her head as she adjusted the strap of her heavy rucksack over her shoulder.

"No, that's fine! I mean… I still can't get over this place! It's like I'm in a museum!" Sakura said in slightly breathless voice.

And the cabin really did look like a museum with its high ceiling and elegant paintings on the wall. Sakura could even vouch that the ornaments displayed on the corner table were worth more than any paycheque she has ever earned in her lifetime.

"I hope that's a compliment…" a voice called out from behind the two friends.

Sakura nearly jumped a foot when Li Mei Ling announced her arrival.

"Li-san!" she called out in surprise.

Mei Ling, in return, smiled at both Sakura and Tomoyo.

"I see that you've gotten your rooms," she said, looking at the two plastic cards in Tomoyo's hand. "I'm sure you'll love it here. To be honest, I haven't been here myself since I was fifteen-years-old but I remember that they have the best slopes and mountain view in the country. Nothing has changed much in this cabin though except for technology and some added decorations."

"Do you own the place Li-san?" inquired Tomoyo.

"Please… Call me Mei Ling," the latter said. "And no. As a matter of fact, this inn is owned by my ex-boyfriend's family. He's letting me use the place as a favour."

"Isn't that a little bit awkward?" Sakura asked thoughtlessly and Tomoyo elbowed her for her lack of tact.

Mei Ling, however, did not seem to mind and she merely laughed at Sakura's innocent statement.

"Despite how it sounds like, Kinomoto-san, my ex-boyfriend and I have remained good friends when we ended our relationship together." Mei Ling replied.

"Oh…"

Suddenly, Sakura remembered that she still had the gown that Mei Ling lent her and she immediately pulled it out of her rucksack.

"I almost forgot… Thank you for the dress last Friday," Sakura said, handing her the dress that was stuffed inside a blue plastic bag. "I've washed and cleaned it for you. I hope you don't mind if I return the shoes later on… They're still in my other luggage."

In response, Mei Ling gave Sakura a bewildered glance.

"Kinomoto-san, that dress is for you. I told you it was yours to keep in the hotel room. I guess you didn't hear me though since you were struggling at the time." Mei Ling said sheepishly.

"Demo (But) -" Sakura stared at the dress. She couldn't possibly accept such a luxurious gift. It was just too much, not to mention, receiving it from someone she just met, it was rather weird…

"It looked wonderful on you last Friday, Sakura-chan," Mei Ling told her and in an effort to convince Sakura, the former used her first name informally. "Besides, I'm a size four, not a size two. That dress would never fit me."

Sakura held onto the dress, still unsure of what to do with it. She was about to refuse the gift again when a commotion caught her attention to the side.

"Honto ni (Really), Li-sama?" a girl, whom Tomoyo recognized as Kitazawa Keiko, asked Syaoran from his side.

"I'm serious! I was seventeen when I wrestled that bear just by the edge of the woods." Syaoran told her as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Keiko in turn snuggled closer to him. "It's a good thing that Li-sama didn't get hurt. You must've been so brave facing a bear at that age."

Hearing what Syaoran said, Mei Ling sniggered loudly. The former, however, didn't seem to have noticed as Keiko was too busy fawning over him.

"Psshh! Lucky you mean that it wasn't a real bear." she said, which earned her curious looks from Tomoyo and Sakura both.

"There aren't any real bears around here, are there?" Sakura glanced at Mei Ling in worry.

"Oh, good heavens, no! The bear that my cousin was talking about ended up being some thief in a bear costume. Apparently, the man saw a group of my friends and I vacationing around here for our end-of-the-year high school party and he figured that he could steal whatever we brought along with us. What he didn't count on was that our boyfriends and older cousins were chaperoning us girls." Mei Ling laughed at the memory. "Thinking about it now, Xiao Lang was very foolish to directly attack that man. What if it ended up actually being a wild animal?"

"Bear or not, he's still very lucky! That thief could've seriously done some harm to him," Tomoyo pointed out.

Mei Ling shook her head.

"Actually, after he was arrested, the man threatened to counter-sue us with assault." Mei Ling whispered.

"EHHH?!"

"Xiao Lang was so convinced that it was a bear roaming around the grounds that he practiced all his martial arts movement on it. It didn't help that he was a black belt by then…"

After listening to Mei Ling's story, both girls burst out into laughter. This time, their loud ruckus went unnoticed by Syaoran who in turn gazed in their direction. As he did so, he caught Sakura's eye and for a fleeting moment he appeared shocked. However, the stunned expression went away as quickly as it came by and Sakura dismissed it to be a misapprehension on her part. She watched as he calmly strutted over to their group with Keiko still hanging onto his arm.

"Mei Ling," Syaoran nodded his head to his cousin. "- are you aware that the director's been searching everywhere for you? I think he wants to speak to you about how much of the cabin we can use for the shooting."

Mei Ling slapped her forehead as she remembered about her appointment with the crew of Studio 24.

"Shoot! I forgot about that," Mei Ling cried out and immediately excused herself.

After seeing the elevator doors close behind her, Syaoran returned his attention back to the remaining members of the group and he addressed Sakura first.

"Kinomoto-san, I wasn't expecting to see you here." Syaoran stated in an almost apathetic tone of voice.

Sakura looked up at him in surprise. As much as she hated to admit it, the seemingly cold reception wasn't the one she had been expecting.

"Forgive me, Syaoran," Tomoyo spoke up from beside her. "It was I who brought her along. I know the invitation was only extended out to me but my friend Sakura is my hair and make-up consultant as well."

Keiko eyed Tomoyo in further distaste when she heard the latter use Li Syaoran's given name intimately.

"Are you trying to be disrespectful Daidouji? You've not only managed to insult the competency of the staff of Studio 24 but you've deliberately went against Li-san's wishes," Keiko glared at her.

Syaoran, on the other hand, continued to stare at Sakura intently. Truthfully, a part of him was happy to be meeting her again. He would be lying if he said that he wasn't the least bit delighted to see her… That time, at the Li Christmas Gala, he was surprised to have spent much of the night with Sakura by herself. To think that all they did was talk; nothing more! What was even more shocking was that he actually enjoyed their time together. It had been so long since he had a stimulating conversation with a woman other than Mei Ling or his mother…

Under the usual circumstances, Syaoran would have gladly welcomed her presence.

Under the usual circumstances…

But at the moment, Sakura being there just proved to be a distraction…

Why are you here…

You're not supposed to be here…

Giving Tomoyo a charming smile, Syaoran fixed his attention towards her.

"It's alright, Tomoyo. I was just surprised. I don't mind if she stayed. Any friend of yours is a friend of mine." Syaoran said gaily.

Tomoyo breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment, she dreaded that Syaoran would not approve of her inviting Sakura along.

"Thank you," Tomoyo said gratefully.

"I know of a better way you could thank me," Syaoran offered her his free left arm. "- you could accompany me to the restaurant downstairs for some hot cocoa."

"Li-sama!" Keiko protested from his side but Syaoran only ignored her.

In response, Tomoyo's eyes widened in delight. An afternoon with Syaoran! Lucky! But before she could even say yes, Tomoyo realized that she hadn't checked in her belongings. As if sensing her friend's dilemma, Sakura sighed.

"It's okay, Tomoyo-chan. I'll take care of it," Sakura assured her.

Tomoyo squealed and hugged her friend happily. "Ohhh! You're the best!"

As the three of them walked away, Sakura lifted hers and Tomoyo's suitcases on the luggage cart. She was about to put her rucksack on top of the pile when Syaoran tapped her on the shoulder.

"Li?" Sakura looked at him questioningly.

Quite frankly, Sakura had felt very disappointed when Syaoran left without speaking much to her. Something was different about him today… Unlike their previous encounter, he did not to acknowledge her in a friendly manner. In fact, he treated her more like an unwanted stranger.

"I have a favour to ask," he said in a steady voice.

Sakura glanced behind her back and then in an attempt to lighten up the atmosphere, she said, "I don't think you're lost so I hardly think you need any directions from me…"

Syaoran, however, did not laugh at her joke and Sakura felt herself smiling awkwardly.

"Keiko-san hasn't checked in her luggage as well. Do you mind doing it for her? She told me she's in room 408," he said as he dropped a green card on her hand. "Thanks."

Sakura looked down at the green card in surprise before glancing back up at Syaoran's disappearing back. That was it? He only came back to tell her that? Not even to say hi or hello whatsoever…

'Li Syaoran, what's going on?'

* * *

**End of Chapter 9**

**Authors Note:** Finally, a quick update! I know I should be studying for exams but as soon as I finished writing Chapter 8, I found myself unable to stop the ideas flowing through my head. This chapter serves as the turning point in the story. I've re-examined the office scene with Syaoran and Yelan and you might even say that it is quite similar to the one Chapter 2. Allow me however to point out a few differences though… Before the show started, Li Corporation was only facing a threat of their investors backing out of their business deals. However, as revealed in this chapter, that threat has already become a reality. I needed Syaoran to be more serious in the show and what better way to do that than to use his family's company as the motive. J Also, back then, Syaoran did not know he had to marry one of the girls nor did he think they were more than just random women that Studio 24 picked out. In this chapter, Syaoran finds out that the contest was actually rigged - the bachelorettes were handpicked by his mother and his cousin based on a criteria of who would make the perfect future Mrs. Li.

Sakura's attitude towards Syaoran has also undergone a drastic change since Chapter 1. Despite the short time that they've spent together, Sakura has actually gotten to know him as a different person from how the tabloids portray him to be. Incidentally, she's also becoming drawn to Syaoran in the same way that he is to her. And Sakura, even as clueless as she is, is actually beginning to realize this hint of attraction. Though how deep that attraction is has yet to be explored…

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this update. Sorry if there wasn't much S+S but like I said, THIS is the turning point of the story. Before I end my note, I would very much like to thank those who reviewed from last chapter. Your kind feedbacks definitely contributed to this chapter getting released so early. A special thank you extends out to Celestiana for giving me some very good advice. :D

For those of you who have just finished reading and have yet to leave a comment, please review. I would very much love to hear what you think of this work and ways on how I could improve it. It would mean a lot.


	10. Lifestyles of the Rich and the Famous

**Disclaimer: **The author does not own Card Captor Sakura or anything affiliated with it. She only has rights to the plot of the story and its AU characters.

**Summary:** Famous fashion designer and Daidouji Toy Company heiress, Daidouji Tomoyo, has just been dumped by her actor ex-boyfriend. What's worst, he called Tomoyo an emotional abuser in front of millions of Japanese people. To soften the blow to her reputation, Tomoyo's best friend, Kinomoto Sakura, hatched a plan for Tomoyo to appear in a new reality show "Are You The One?" and hoped that the former would make a great comeback out of it. All seemed fine at the beginning, but trouble ensues when Sakura catches Li Syaoran, the bachelor of the show's, attention instead. To make matters complicated, Sakura's resistance against his charms also deteriorate over the course of the show. Will she finally succumb to the passion that Li's kisses promise or will she stay true to her friend who has been with her since childhood?

* * *

****

Say That You Love Me

Chapter 10: Lifestyles of the Rich and the Famous

* * *

Three days have passed since the cast and crew of the show "Are You The One?" arrived in Hokkaido and during that time, Sakura felt her annoyance growing by the minute. Syaoran hadn't spoken to her since the very first day and his indifferent attitude irritated Sakura to no end. Why it bothered her so much - she had absolutely no idea. It's not like they were close friends and even before she met him, Sakura had already surmised Syaoran to be a pompous, arrogant jerk who enjoyed being lavished by the attention of different women. But then, certain things happened along the way that gradually changed her opinion about him. Prior to this trip, Syaoran had been nothing but kind to her. He was flirtatious to say the least, but when they were together, Syaoran had been the epitome of a very friendly gentleman, which was why his insistence to treat Sakura like she were a nobody was quite bothersome. Sakura wondered if perhaps she had offended him in some way and if so, he should be at least man enough to tell her what she had done wrong. 

'But I don't even think I did anything wrong; except maybe step on his feet last Friday,' Sakura thought as she watched Keiko trying to feed Syaoran some strawberry tart with her own fork. She almost gagged at the sight and she stabbed her own lunch viciously. 'Eurgh! Can't they do that somewhere else?'

Sakura was so busy attacking her own food that she did not notice another presence (two to be precise) joining her table.

"Ahem," Tomoyo coughed loudly.

Sakura looked up and saw Tomoyo and Sasaki Rika staring at her curiously.

"Kinomoto-san, are you alright?" Rika gently asked. Sakura had first gotten to know the bachelorette through Tomoyo when they found out that she would be staying in a room across theirs. To be honest, Sakura did not know how the two became closely acquainted (since they were supposed to be contenders in the show, she figured that most of the bachelorettes would be antagonistic against each other). However, in getting to know Rika, Sakura found her to be an extremely pleasant lady unlike most of the women in the show (in particular, Kitazawa Keiko who was currently with Li Syaoran at the moment).

"Oh, I'm fine. Just fine." Sakura replied, smiling up at the two. "How was your skiing?"

"It was awesome! You should've come with us!" Tomoyo told her, while taking a seat beside her friend. This left Rika to take up the only available spot across Sakura. "The slopes were amazing. Besides, you will never believe who we saw out there!"

"Who?" Sakura asked as she pushed her plate away. After playing around with it for so long, the food had gotten cold and had lost its appetizing appearance.

"Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes!" Rika said, naming the famed super couple of Hollywood.

Sakura's eyes went as wide as saucepans and she leapt out of her seat in excitement. "Uso (No way)! Are they still there?"

Tomoyo shook her head. "They left just as we were coming up the hill. But still, you would've been able to see them had you actually come up there with us!"

"You know that I can't ski or snowboard, Tomoyo," Sakura pointed out. "Ahhh… It's a real shame that I missed them. I would've loved to get Tom Cruise's autograph! Or even a picture with him!"

"Well, they probably left after seeing some very ugly faces," a sneering voice behind Sakura said.

Sakura turned around and was face-to-face with a smirking Keiko. For a moment, Sakura wondered why she was associating with her party, and when she glanced over to the table previously occupied by the latter, she realized that Syaoran was no longer there.

'Maybe he found her too annoying that he could no longer bear her company and so he left,' Sakura thought gleefully.

As gorgeous as the young woman was, Sakura disliked her immensely. When she had done the bachelorette a favour by bringing up her luggage to her suite on the very first night that they arrived to Hokkaido, Keiko did not even utter a word of thanks to her. In fact, the next day, Sakura heard her complaining to Syaoran about the lack of care in which her "Louis Vuitton" suitcases were treated and that "commoners" like Sakura would never understand how valuable such products are.

"I'm sure the Cruises didn't want to breathe in the same contaminated air that I'm breathing in right now," Keiko added maliciously.

Sakura raised her eyebrow.

"That's odd, Kitazawa-san," she began. "- I was under the impression that you were in the café with me when Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes left."

Beside her, Sakura heard Tomoyo stifling a laugh and Rika trying to hide a smile. In return, Keiko sent a scowl in Sakura's direction.

"And who told you to speak to me, you second-rate girl!"

Sakura rolled her eyes. Couldn't she think of a better insult other than to keep on making fun of her status in life? The first slur was creative, but hearing it for a second time does get a bit tiring.

"For a second-rate girl, at least I have some manners," Sakura said sardonically.

Hearing this remark, Keiko glared at Sakura hard.

"I'll have you know, Kinomoto, that I graduated first in my finishing school. How about you? I've seen how you act especially during lunch time and dinner time. Pitiful, how you don't even know which fork to use. I can't say that I blame you of course. Your parents must have raised you like the low-class barbarians they are."

Sakura turned beet red from both anger and embarrassment, and Tomoyo glanced at her friend in worry. She knew that Sakura had always been sensitive when it came to family issues but obviously, Keiko was unaware of that.

"It appears that the finishing school you went to made a mistake," Sakura said in tight voice. "Had you been given a _proper education_, which you claimed to have, you would've known that cutting into one's conversation uninvited is extremely rude. Or was the school overly eager in kicking out the most moronic student ever to step foot in their institution to actually correct that discourteous behaviour of yours?"

"How dare you!" Keiko made a move towards Sakura but Tomoyo quickly stepped in between them.

"You chose to disturb us Kitazawa-san, not the other way around." Tomoyo said in a low voice. "If you cause a commotion here, I assure you that you would be the one under the negative light."

In a smart move, Keiko listened to Tomoyo's heed and took a step back from Sakura.

"I guess it's true what they say; birds of the same feather, flock together." Keiko gave them a distasteful look before storming off to a surprised Syaoran who seemed to have reappeared in the hall. However, her departure did not appease Sakura's mood and it only turned into an even sour note when she saw Syaoran rest his hand on Keiko's backside as he led her outside.

"Unbelievable!" Sakura cried out as she threw her hands up in the air in anger.

"Oh Kinomoto-san," Rika approached Sakura with a glass of water and the latter gratefully accepted.

"What on earth does he see in her?!" Sakura asked bitterly, with 'he' being Syaoran. "That woman is a nasty piece of work!"

Tomoyo sighed. "Well, we all know that but do you honestly think she would act that way in front of Syaoran?"

"So you guys just let her be horrible to you behind his back?" Sakura looked at Tomoyo and Rika in obvious dismay. "Kami-sama (God)! You're in a reality TV show! Don't just take her crap! Do what the usual contestants do! Tell Li how vicious she really is so he can kick her out!"

Rika shook her head at Sakura's suggestion.

"As much as I'd love to expose Kitazawa-san for who she really is, I won't degrade myself by destroying her reputation. On national television no less," she told Sakura softly.

"Why not?" Sakura asked, bewildered by their passive natures.

"Because proper etiquette dictates that a well-bred lady must always conduct herself intellectually, act morally, and hold herself above reproach." Tomoyo said, quoting her instructors from the lady-like classes she took as a young girl.

Unfortunately her explanation only confused Sakura even further.

"Huh?"

"In other words, women like us must always try to remain cool and composed in front of others and that a pleasant disposition is more respected than one that is not ," Rika clarified.

Sakura couldn't help but scoff at the absurdity of such a lesson. So this is what you learn from etiquette classes?! How to let others push you around and just smile about it?!

"I don't know about you two but lady or not, that woman needs to be knocked off her high horse! And if it were all up to me, I would've done it a long time ago," Sakura said grumpily. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to my room."

Tomoyo and Rika watched as Sakura walked away from their table in a huff.

"Do you know what's wrong with her?" Rika asked anxiously.

Tomoyo's brow wrinkled in bafflement.

"I have no idea. She wasn't like this when we came here," Tomoyo said. "And the last time I've seen her in a bad mood like this was during our second year of university. Something's got to be eating her."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Sakura placed the volume of her CD player on full blast as she lay down on her bed. Maybe accompanying Tomoyo to Hokkaido was a mistake. In spite of the comfortable lodging and beautiful scenery of the place, Sakura obviously wasn't having any fun and since the very first day, she had been experiencing these weird and unpredictable changes in her mood. Besides, could she really afford to sit here and relax in a nice hotel while her sick father was stuck all the way in Tokyo? Perhaps, she should have stayed behind… She could have been using all this time to look for a third job. Another line of work would definitely help pay off her father's hospital bills.

'What the hell am I doing?' Sakura sighed.

Glancing over the bedside table, Sakura saw that it was a quarter past six in the evening. She did not realize that she had been brooding alone for the past five hours or so. Now that she thought about it, Tomoyo did not come up to their room either since the morning and Sakura guessed that her friend was giving her some space to cool down.

'I shouldn't have stormed off the way I did back there,' Sakura thought as she grabbed her coat and purse from the closet.

Sakura had made up her mind to first get some dinner and then apologize to both Tomoyo and Rika for being such an unpleasant company earlier. Stepping out of the hotel to buy food at a nearby convenience store, she endured the harsh winter cold air and walked several blocks away from the inn. Sakura could not risk going bankrupt by eating any more meals inside the hotel. God knows why, but everything on their menu was priced over seven thousand yen! And no, she won't allow Tomoyo to keep on paying for her meals either. No matter how much the latter insisted, Sakura felt it wrong to accept any more of her friend's kindness considering that Tomoyo was already taking care of their lodging (as one of the bachelorettes, she had been entitled to a free stay but Tomoyo chose to get a room with Sakura instead).

When she stepped inside the shop, Sakura was thankful that the heater was on and working. Brushing the snow off of her hair, she quickly went to the packaged foods section to get some bread and chocolate milk. She was about to grab the last bread on the counter when a gloved hand beat her to it.

"Hey! That's mine!" Sakura shouted at him angrily.

Lifting her chin up in a defiant manner, Sakura was nonetheless stunned when she realized that the person who took her food was Li Syaoran.

Syaoran in return only looked at Sakura then down at the packaged bread in his hands before glancing back up at Sakura again.

"Sorry, I didn't know. Here," Syaoran said before giving the food back to her and walking off to another aisle.

For a moment, Sakura remained rooted to her spot, utterly dumbfounded. There was that cold shoulder again! What was he trying to do - match the weather?!

"Oi! Oi! Chotto matte (Wait a second)!" Sakura called out after him.

Syaoran stopped to face Sakura quizzically while the latter tried to find the right words to say.

"Did you need something, Kinomoto-san?" he asked politely… Too politely.

"Ano…" Sakura scratched the back of her head in frustration. Now that she had caught up to him, what on earth should she say? "Eto…"

Syaoran glanced at his watch and saw that it was close to seven in the evening. Damn… He was expecting a very important call from Eriol in fifteen minutes and if he were to catch it, he needed to leave now.

Unfortunately, Sakura mistook this movement of his as a sign of impatience and felt all the irritation she had been dealing with for the past three days boiling up to its limit. So this is what he really thought of her! Did it really annoy him that much to spare her a little bit of his time?

"Why are you ignoring me?" The words left Sakura's lips before she could stop them.

Upon hearing this question, Syaoran turned to Sakura in surprise.

"Sorry?" he asked.

"Why-are-you-ignoring-me?" Sakura repeated; this time with emphasis on each word.

Syaoran paused for a moment before answering her.

"I didn't know that you were seeking for my attention, Kinomoto-san," he replied and then added without the meaning to sound malicious - "… nor was I aware that I had to focus all of them on you."

Sakura's grip on her chocolate milk tightened and she flushed at his statement from embarrassment. Syaoran had brought up a very good point. It was impertinent of her to press upon such an issue. Not only did she not have the right to ask him that, it also made her look like she was hopelessly vying for him.

"I - Atasahi wa (I)…" Sakura attempted to say something but couldn't find the right words to express on this particular situation.

Syaoran raised his eyebrow. Had it really bothered Sakura when he did not pay much heed to her these past couple of days? Well, clearly it did, or else she wouldn't have asked him about it.

'Could she have developed some sort of crush towards me?' Syaoran wondered as a possibility.

As silly as that notion sounded, he knew it would complicate things if it were _actually_ true. Letting out a tired sigh, Syaoran decided to clear the matter up quickly.

"I see what this is…" he began.

"Eh?"

"I'm sorry if I've given you the wrong impression, Kinomoto-san, but I only enjoyed ever having you as company," Syaoran said in a careful tone of voice. "I mean, I can't blame you for misunderstanding. If there is anyone to blame, it would be me for unintentionally misleading you. In any case, I need you to understand… Understand that our moments together are nothing more than just literally moments together."

At his flat-out response, Sakura felt herself going numb.

Heh, she should have expected him to tell her that…

It was what she had been reiterating to herself all along….

If she sensed any sort of dissatisfaction - well, it was her own bloody fault. She became too full of herself and she had overestimated her position… Li Syaoran had been merely kind to her because it was convenient… Nothing more… Nothing less…

Letting out a small laugh, Sakura pasted on an overly bright smile on her face.

"If anyone's gotten the wrong impression, it's _you _Li-_san_. How _ever_ did _you _get the idea that _I _was interested in _you_ - in _that_ way?"

Hearing her tease him so, Syaoran stared at Sakura hard. It was odd… Despite the positivism she was trying to express, he had a feeling that she was inwardly upset with his answer. Of course, he couldn't be too sure with that cheerful air of hers but his gut hardly proved him wrong.

"Pardon me for making assumptions then, Kinomoto-san," Syaoran bowed his head. "- it was rude of me. And about me ignoring you earlier, I apologize for that as well. I hadn't realized that I was doing it. If I hurt you in any way, it was most unconsciously done."

Sakura waved her hand and casually dismissed his apologies.

"Don't be silly," she said. "I wasn't upset in the slightest bit. I just asked because I was worried that I might have offended you in some way and that was why you were avoiding me."

Syaoran shook his head.

"No, no. You hadn't done anything wrong to me," he said.

"I know…"

And suddenly, with nothing else in mind to talk about, the air between the two of them became even more tense than before. If awkwardness such as this remained to exist, Sakura doubted that they had truly resolved their small misunderstanding. And once again, the two found themselves back to square one.

"Well, I really need to get back to the hotel." Syaoran said. "I'll see you later?"

Sakura smiled. "Yeah. Ja ne."

Stepping outside the convenience store, Syaoran expelled out the breath that he didn't even realize he was holding. Rejecting women's advances always came easy to him. Dating so many girls since he could remember and then letting them go afterwards was always a piece of cake. So why then… Why had he found himself oddly disappointed in his encounter with Sakura… If anything, it left him feeling heavy-hearted.

Unable to help himself, Syaoran took a glance back inside through the windows and saw that Sakura made no attempts to move from her spot. In fact, right after he left the store, the latter dropped all pretences and a sad expression crossed her face.

Syaoran clenched his fists tightly.

What was up with this girl…

Why does she affect him in a way that has never affected him before…

Forcing himself to turn away, Syaoran walked off to the direction of their hotel. What's done was unchangeable… It's best to simply leave it at that.

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Tomoyo tossed and turned restlessly in her own bed before finally giving up any more attempts of trying to sleep. Oh this was hopeless! Sakura had just returned thirty minutes ago from who knows where and her movement about the room had woken Tomoyo up from her early slumber. Unfortunately for the latter, Tomoyo was a very light sleeper and as such, she had trouble going back to sleep once she was roused out of it.

Climbing out of the covers, Tomoyo walked over to the closet and placed her robe on. Maybe if she were to go for a late night stroll, she'd tire herself out and could then go back to dozing off.

As she stepped out of the elevator, Tomoyo found herself wandering the almost empty lobby of the hotel. Earlier, she noticed that, apart from the hotel staff, the cast and crew of the show "Are You The One?" were the only guests of the inn. When she pointed this observation out to Mei Ling, the latter explained that they had managed to secure the privacy of the place for one week just to shoot the second episode of the bachelor show. Tomoyo still couldn't get over how much influence the Li Corporation had in the world of commerce… They had enough power to even make other businesses comply with their extravagant requests…

'Sugoi (Amazing),' Tomoyo thought.

Walking over to a nearby table, Tomoyo picked up a magazine that someone left behind. As soon as she looked down at it, Tomoyo instantly regretted picking it up in the first place. On the cover was a picture of her ex-boyfriend Sato Jin and his current ladybird Nakamura Chiaki. The caption beneath their smiling faces read, "Confessions of True Love: Only several months together but growing stronger than ever." Tomoyo flipped the inside of the magazine to read the article further and in doing so, she discovered that the relationship between Jin and Chiaki had been almost perfect - a complete opposite of what Jin had had with her.

"Bastard," Tomoyo muttered while throwing the publication aside.

As much as she hated to admit it, hearing about Jin's newfound happiness was something she still could not bear. Part of it was due to her anger over the fact that while he seemed to be enjoying life right now, Tomoyo was experiencing some trouble in attaining that same happiness. The other reason had to do with sadness and jealousy. She was upset that Jin had really found someone else and she was jealous over the fact that it wasn't her. Oh yes… No matter how much she tried to deny it, she still had lingering feelings for Jin and it hurt her terribly when he ended their relationship together. On Tomoyo's part, she could even attest to having been truly in love and maybe, perhaps, still loving him right now…

"Life is so unfair," whispered Tomoyo.

"I couldn't agree with you more," a deep voice said from her side.

Tomoyo looked up and saw that Li Syaoran had joined her in the lobby. How odd that he was still awake this time of the night… Suddenly realizing that she hadn't properly greeted him, Tomoyo quickly stood up and bowed her head respectfully.

"Konbawa (Good evening) Syaoran-san," she said. "I wasn't expecting to meet you here… or anyone for that matter."

"I couldn't sleep," Syaoran explained.

Tomoyo nodded and quietly accepted his answer. "Nor I…"

In response, Syaoran smiled and motioned for her to sit back down.

"Find anything interesting to read?" he asked as he picked up a stray magazine on the table.

"No. Not particularly," Tomoyo replied.

Syaoran raised his eyebrow as he looked at the magazine she had been focusing on a few minutes earlier.

"Sato Jin and Nakamura Chiaki," he read their names out loud. "Hmm, were you not in a relationship with this man?"

Tomoyo flushed from the accurate connection Syaoran made.

"You - you knew about that Syaoran-san?"

"People enjoy talking about trivial things. Besides, how could I possibly not know? Your break-up was a highly publicized one given that careless statement he made on television," Syaoran said casually.

Tomoyo looked at her feet sadly. If the latter heard about Jin's opinion of her on television, then his view of Tomoyo had mostly like been tainted already. No doubt that Syaoran had probably surmised her to be the emotional abuser than Jin described.

"I don't understand… If you knew, why haven't you eliminated me?" Tomoyo asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

Syaoran stared at her hard before answering.

"Gut feeling. I can tell which contestants want to be here and those who are simply looking for some fun. In my opinion, you belong in the former group, unless I am mistaken of course…"

Tomoyo quickly looked up and shook her head vigorously. Despite the possibilities, she was still slightly surprised that Jin was unable to poison Syaoran's mind against her.

"No, I really do want to be here!" she said.

"Well there you go; I don't see why you should leave then." Syaoran said as he picked up a stray newspaper from the table.

Tomoyo, however, felt that his logical reasoning alone would not suffice and so she went on to explain herself further.

"I didn't mean to keep my relationship with Jin a secret from you," she began, "- and I apologize for not being open to you about it from the start. I just never found the appropriate time to speak about it."

When Syaoran did not say anything, Tomoyo wondered if he was disappointed with her actions.

"You aren't mad, are you?" she asked nervously.

"Mad? Should I be? I understand that it must be awkward for you talk about something like this. If it were me, I wouldn't want anyone to know about myself going out with a person like that either," he said with a slight shrug. "In fact, you consider yourself lucky for finally escaping that stupid man's clutches."

In hearing Syaoran call Jin stupid, Tomoyo nearly choked on thin air.

"You're not a fan of his?" Tomoyo asked.

"I met the man just a few months ago while dealing with the studio for their show," he replied, now concentrating on the newspaper in his hand, "- and truthfully, I was not impressed."

Tomoyo stared at Syaoran in surprise. Jin was usually polite toward those people whom he viewed as an asset to his career. With Syaoran's background, Tomoyo had expected her ex-boyfriend to have made a good impression upon him even going as far as kissing up to Syaoran himself. What could have possibly caused the latter though to regard Jin with such obvious distaste?

"Umm? Did - did Jin do something to you Syaoran-san?" Tomoyo asked cautiously.

Unfortunately, Tomoyo's question was not given a proper response. Rather, Syaoran only offered her a reassuring smile.

"No, Sato didn't do anything to me," he said in that charming voice of his, "- so don't you worry about it. Anyway, it's getting pretty late… Or should I say early and we have a very long day ahead of us."

Tomoyo glanced at the clock by the fireplace and realized that it was indeed close to three in the morning.

"Yes, you're right," she said. Deep down inside, she was slightly disappointed with Syaoran's evasive answer.

"Allow me to escort you back to your room," he offered.

Tomoyo quietly smiled as the latter placed his hand behind her back.

'Oh well… I guess it couldn't be helped,' she thought, sighing.

* * *

End of Chapter 10

Sorry for the very long wait. After exams, I was pretty much caught up with work and I had absolutely no time for myself. Time went by so fast and before I knew it, another school year had began. Unfortunately, this brings another bad news - because I am now currently in my third year of university, I will be very busy with my studies and as such, I won't be able to update this story as much. However, this doesn't mean I've given up on the project completely. I'm determined to finish Say That You Love Me and I pretty much have the plot set. It's just putting the chapters together that will take a lot of time. 

On other news, I had some questions regarding last chapter. The main, being why Syaoran asked Sakura to bring up Keiko's luggage in her room. I thought the answer to this would be obvious :) . Keiko is a rich socialite so she expected to be given preferential treatment at the hotel. This included the guaranteed assistance of a bellhop. However, at the time, the hotel staff was busy accommodating the other guests and since Keiko didn't want Syaoran to be alone with Tomoyo, she asked the latter (politely, of course) to arrange something so her belongings could be sent up to her room. And since Syaoran already knew Sakura and he didn't want to keep the two bachelorettes from waiting, he simply asked a favour of her.

Secondly, I also received some comments about Syaoran's treatment of Sakura. It's not that he's intentionally mean to her but note that he's desperately trying to concentrate on the show in an effort to save Li Corporation. As such, in order to avoid possible scandals that could ruin his chances, he has decided to treat Sakura informally. Whether this lasts long or not, we shall see…

Finally, I would especially like to thank you dear readers and especially the faithful reviewers of Say That You Love Me. In all honesty, I get much of my motivation in writing this fanfic because of you. Thank you so much and I hope you would continue to tell me your thoughts about the story. I promise to bring a lot of excitement in the next instalment so I hope to hear some feedbacks. In addition, I apologize for the grammatical errors made in this chapter. It was written in a rush and I was desperate to bring it out before another month passed.

Sincerely,

Lily's Thorns


	11. Race Against Time Part I

**Disclaimer: **The author does not own Card Captor Sakura or anything affiliated with it. She only has rights to the plot of the story and its AU characters.

**Summary:** Famous fashion designer and Daidouji Toy Company heiress, Daidouji Tomoyo, has just been dumped by her actor ex-boyfriend. What's worst, he called Tomoyo an emotional abuser in front of millions of Japanese people. To soften the blow to her reputation, Tomoyo's best friend, Kinomoto Sakura, hatched a plan for Tomoyo to appear in a new reality show "Are You The One?" and hoped that the former would make a great comeback out of it. All seemed fine at the beginning, but trouble ensues when Sakura catches Li Syaoran, the bachelor of the show's, attention instead. To make matters complicated, Sakura's resistance against his charms also deteriorate over the course of the show. Will she finally succumb to the passion that Li's kisses promise or will she stay true to her friend who has been with her since childhood?

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**

Say That You Love Me 

**Chapter 11: Unexpected Nightmares; Race Against Time Part I**

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Syaoran watched as Rika and Tomoyo patiently taught Sakura how to skate on a nearby pond. It was a beautiful Friday morning and seeing as it was their second last day at Hokkaido, the crew of Studio 24 decided to do something special and hold most of their show's outtakes outside. Personally, Syaoran would have preferred to stay indoors, away from the cold weather. But seeing the bright sky and a certain interesting _woman _trying so hard to glide onto the ice, he could honestly say that today's agenda was worth it.

"Kinomoto-san, it's okay to move your feet. I've got you, you don't have to be scared," Rika told her gently.

"Easy for you to say! You're probably used to this kind of stuff!" Sakura anxiously moved along the ice. "Don't let go of my hand! Oooh, if you do, I seriously don't know what I would do!"

Syaoran fought hard to keep a straight face when he saw Sakura land on her back. Rika and Tomoyo had let go just in time to avoid stumbling with her.

"OWW!" she cried, "You guys promised not to let go! Evil ice-lovers!"

"Come on, 'Kura, get up. We're trying again," Tomoyo said as she pulled her friend to a standing position.

"Why do I have to learn how to skate anyway?!" Sakura whined and she grabbed onto Rika's arm hard. The latter winced in pain and Syaoran felt like doing the same.

"I'm not letting you sit around and do absolutely nothing in our hotel room again! Besides, you never know which famous person we'll bump into this time!" Tomoyo cajoled.

"I better see Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt today or my icicle-frozen butt would be for nothing," Sakura grumbled.

Syaoran let out a smile in hearing her comment and he continued to watch Sakura's attempt to skate again. Truly, her determination was quite admirable and under normal circumstances, he would have applauded her for it. From the side, Mei Ling noticed what had captured her cousin's attention and decided to tease him about it.

"You know, Xiao Lang, you're never going to get anywhere if you just continue to stand here and ogle at Sakura-san," Mei Ling told him.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Syaoran forced himself to look away from Sakura and he directed his gaze on the other contestants.

"Really now! Shame on you for checking out the best friend of one of the bachelorettes," Mei Ling chastised him in a joking tone of voice.

In return, Syaoran threw an annoyed look at his cousin but chose not to deny the lewd accusation.

"Whose side are you on anyway?"

"Yours," Mei Ling replied innocently, "- and whichever girl you choose, I guess."

"Funny, I was under the impression that selecting my future bride was your job," Syaoran bitterly remarked.

Mei Ling stared at him in bewilderment.

"Who on earth told you that?" she asked.

"Mother did," he said. "From what I gathered, you played a rather important part in choosing the bachelorettes of the show. Pretty, presumptuous of you, don't you think? When have you suddenly become an expert on my character and tastes?"

Mei Ling rolled her eyes.

"If you must know, then yes, I did help to choose the contestants that would be placed on the show. However, I only eliminated the applications to a hundred. The twenty women you've seen from the very start were all chosen by Auntie Yelan. Like yourself, I didn't know who they were until the premiere."

Hearing his cousin's explanation, Syaoran remained silent for a moment and then he sighed. Unfortunately, no matter how much he complained about this entire debacle, the show was not going anywhere. He had signed a contract with Studio 24 and if he did not fulfill his obligations, not only would his actions devastate Li Corporation, he would also be liable to some serious corporate charges.

Putting his hands in his coat pocket, Syaoran replied, "Whatever."

Mei Ling was about to say something else but quickly kept her mouth shut when Tomoyo approached their group.

"Am I interrupting?" Tomoyo asked; her cheeks were rosy pink from the cold air.

"No, no," Syaoran shook his head and smiled as though nothing was wrong. "- not at all."

"Enjoying yourself, Tomoyo-san?" Mei Ling inquired.

Tomoyo grinned.

"Very much so. I haven't skated in ages," she replied.

Mei Ling glanced over at Sakura's direction and saw the young woman sliding on her bottom again. To be honest, she didn't know whether to laugh at Sakura's comical position or feel sorry for the pains she must be going through.

"It would appear that Sakura-san hasn't skated at all either," Mei Ling commented. "Xiao Lang, why don't you help her? I'm sure she'd appreciate it."

"What -" Syaoran looked at his cousin sharply. Under her eyelashes, Syaoran could tell that her eyes were twinkling. What on earth was she planning now?

"Oh could you?" Tomoyo asked. "Please? I was just about to ask you anyway! If you don't mind that is…"

Unable to refuse Tomoyo's expectant face, Syaoran sighed and he skated across the pond to where Sakura was.

Sakura, on the other hand, frowned as she scrambled back to her feet. Who knew that skating would be this tiring and troublesome? She seriously could not understand what was so fun about such a painful activity. Just as she regained a proper position, Sakura's right skate slipped out from under her and she lost her balance once again. 'Oh hell,' she thought. Sakura squeezed her eyes shut and braced herself for the hard impact.

But surprisingly, none came.

"Woah, easy there," a gentle voice called out.

Sakura opened her eyes and saw Li Syaoran supporting her by the arms. Where on earth did he come from?

"I'm fine now," Sakura mumbled as she tried to pull away from his grasp.

Instead of letting go, Syaoran held her even closer and after he helped her stand up, Syaoran placed his hand around Sakura's waist. From the way she stiffened just then, Syaoran could tell that she no longer felt at ease around him. Her discomfort struck a chord in him but he pushed his own feelings aside as he took her right hand in his.

"Trust me," he said as he began to skate with Sakura.

Sakura could feel the heat creeping up to her cheeks as Syaoran held her in place. He was too close for her own good and it was making her chest hurt. Sakura wondered whether Syaoran could her own heart thumping so fast and hard.

"Thanks," Sakura said in a quiet voice.

She had not forgotten their conversation at the convenience store that week. Ever since their fated meeting, Sakura could not stop thinking about Syaoran at all. His face appeared everywhere and out of nowhere. Sometimes, she would even catch herself staring at him for no good reason. Whether be it in her dreams or in reality itself, Sakura felt as though his presence was stalking her. Unfortunately, in thinking about Syaoran, Sakura also kept on hearing the words he had said to her. What confused Sakura the most, however, was her reaction towards them. Every time she remembered the fact that they were just "acquaintances", Sakura couldn't help but feel hurt all over again. But perhaps it was through this admission that she was finally able to open her eyes.

Last night, while she was tossing and turning in her own bed, Sakura suddenly came to a realization. She was attracted to Li Syaoran. Strongly and very much attracted to him… He was a force to be reckoned with and she finally understood why girls stuck to him like magnets.

"Sakura-chan, you look as red as a tomato. Are you sure you're not wearing too many layers?" Tomoyo asked her friend worriedly.

Sakura's eyes widened and she shook her head in such a vigorous manner. From the corner of her eyes, she could tell that Syaoran was also watching her curiously.

"I'm fine," Sakura said and she pushed Syaoran away in embarrassment.

To show that she was alright, Sakura skated away from their group. However, it didn't take her a few steps before she landed on her butt again.

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Keiko stomped her way back to the hotel in a very foul mood. The sight of Syaoran talking to Daidouji Tomoyo and then helping her friend skate afterward made her boil in anger. When _she_ had invited Syaoran to skate out onto the pond with her, the latter refused, claiming to be tired and wanting a moment for himself. But a few minutes later, at the request of Daidouji, Syaoran moved away from his solitary spot and submitted to her whim.

'What on earth does he see in her?' Keiko scowled and slammed the door shut behind her.

In comparison, her looks were much more superior than Tomoyo's. When she walked the streets of Tokyo, men always turned their heads. They would always whisper how gorgeous she looked and on almost every occasion, she would get cell phone numbers from random guys. And while Tomoyo was the daughter of a toy company president, Keiko herself was also from a very influential family. Her father, after all, served as a Minister of Trade and Finance in Japan.

"Syaoran-san, here's a cup of coffee," Tomoyo's voice drifted to her open window.

Keiko pulled the curtains aside and she watched as Tomoyo leaned in to say something to Syaoran. Whatever it was must have been funny since the man in turn laughed.

"Eurgggh! How irritating!" Keiko snarled.

She picked up a crystal globe from her nightstand and looked at it for a second. 'That bitch!' she thought. Eyes flashing red, Keiko juggled the globe and then hurled it hard across the wall. The glass shattered into tiny million pieces.

"Why does he keep choosing her over everyone else?!" Keiko breathed hard.

Glancing outside once again, she saw Syaoran spending some quality time with Tomoyo by the bench and Keiko could no longer contain her fury. She would no longer stand for this! She would separate those two if it were the last thing she'd do.

Keiko had just stepped out of the elevator when a solid object bumped right into her.

"Oof! Ah, gomen (sorry)! Gomen (Sorry)!" the object apologized.

When Keiko looked up, she saw Tomoyo's friend Kinomoto Sakura in front of her. The other woman appeared to be surprised as well.

"Oh, it's _only_ you," Sakura said dryly while standing up and dusting herself.

'How uncouth ,' Keiko thought in disgust as she observed Sakura conversing with the front-door receptionist.

She had heard the bachelorettes gossiping one night, saying that Daidouji's best friend was from the middle class. Up until the Christmas Gala, she didn't really think much of it then and she had only considered Sakura to be her rival's assistant. But judging from the way Tomoyo fussed over her, Keiko was inclined to believe the rumours.

'So I guess it's true what they say; birds of the same feather, flock together.'

Keiko was about to walk away from them when she heard Sakura asking for any messages. Suddenly, an idea sparked into her head and she smiled in utter satisfaction. She knew just the way to keep Daidouji Tomoyo occupied; long enough to be away from Li Syaoran at least.

"Kinomoto-san, do you have a minute?" Keiko asked in a much nicer tone of voice.

Sakura's forehead wrinkled in confusion and she looked at Keiko in bewilderment. Keiko attempted her best to soften her so as to appear earnest and without malice.

"What is it?" Sakura stared at her expectantly.

"It's about tonight's dinner arrangement," Keiko began. "I heard the other girls talking and oh, this is horrible…"

Sakura frowned.

"What do you mean? What's going on?"

Keiko put on a troubled face and she sighed effectively.

"I didn't expect them to do this, but apparently…"

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Several hours later, Tomoyo paced back and forth in the hotel's lobby, wondering where on earth Sakura could be. She hadn't seen her friend since the skating trip this morning and she was beginning to get really worried. 'What could have detained her for so long,' she thought.

'And, why couldn't she be a normal person and buy herself a cellphone?!' Tomoyo cursed inwardly.

"Did you find her?" Tomoyo ran up to Rika who just came out from one of the elevators.

Rika shook her head no.

"I've asked some of the girls in the change room… they haven't seen her either," Rika said.

Tomoyo bit her lip and she glanced down at her watch. This really was unlike Sakura. Sakura who was so big on time and was almost-never late for any appointments… She had promised to help her get ready before the elimination ceremony. Considering that the event was only an hour away, her sudden disappearance was definitely odd. What could she be doing all this time?

Mei Ling was just checking up on the hotel staff when she saw Tomoyo and Rika running around the lobby. Noticing the anxious look on Tomoyo's face, she couldn't help but wonder what was up.

"Is something the matter, Tomoyo-san?" Mei Ling tapped the aforementioned woman on the shoulder. "How come you two aren't dressed yet?"

"Mei Ling-san!" Tomoyo turned to the former with such hopeful eyes. "Have you seen Sakura-chan?"

"Seen Sakura-san?" Mei Ling repeated in confusion. "No, I haven't. I thought that she was with you."

Tomoyo buried her face in her hands and breathed in deeply.

"She's gone _and _I can't find her anywhere _and _she didn't even tell me where she was going to be _and _I - I… This isn't like her!" Tomoyo rambled on. "She told me… No, she promised me that she would be here. Why isn't she here?!"

"T-Tomoyo-san, get a hold of yourself," Mei Ling held her by the shoulders in an effort to calm the young woman down. "Perhaps Sakura-san stepped out for a bit to get something. I'm sure she'll come back soon."

Tomoyo shook her head and suddenly burst into tears.

"She wouldn't be gone this long. It's been nearly half a day since I've seen her." Tomoyo cried out in worry. "And it's already dark outside… If she planned to go anywhere for this long, she would have told me. She usually leaves a note or something."

Mei Ling's eyes widened when she heard that Sakura had been missing for quite some time and after the news that the hotel manager had just told her, this definitely was not good…

"Have you searched your rooms yet?" Mei Ling asked.

Rika nodded her head.

"Yes, we've been coming up to them every now and then. She hasn't been there," she said.

"How about the restaurant downstairs? The athletic centre? The lounge? This is a pretty big chalet. It's possible that you could have missed her."

"We ch-checked everywhere," Tomoyo sniffed. "I even went to the convenience store that she usually goes to outside. The storekeeper told me that Sakura hasn't come by there all day."

Mei Ling led Tomoyo to the couches nearby and sat her down in one of them. Turning to Rika, she then asked the other bachelorette to bring a glass of water for Tomoyo.

"Are you sure she never said anything to you about her plans today?" Mei Ling patted her back. "Like any new appointments she planned to make?"

Tomoyo sobbed out an insistent "no" as she tried to hold herself together.

"This is bad," Mei Ling mumbled in a low voice.

Unfortunately, Tomoyo heard her and the statement did nothing to ease her worries.

"Wha-What d-do you mean?" Tomoyo's face now held a frightened look.

Instead of answering her, however, Mei Ling whipped out her cellphone and quickly dialled Syaoran's number.

"Xiao Lang, it's Mei Ling. We've got a bit of a problem…"

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Two minutes later, Syaoran ran out of the elevator doors with the newly-arrived Eriol right behind him. Mei Ling had not said much on their telephone conversation except that there was some sort of emergency. That last word was enough to have him rushing out of his own hotel room before one could even say "Go!" to do some damage control.

"Eriol-sempai!" Tomoyo cried out in surprise when she saw Syaoran's cousin and in a moment of weakness, she ran up to his arms.

"Tomoyo-chan?" Eriol looked down at his kouhai in puzzlement as he hugged her shaking body.

Syaoran, in turn, was also bewildered by her presence and he wondered what could have reduced Daidouji Tomoyo to tears.

"What's going on?" he asked both Mei Ling and Rika.

From the look on both their faces, he could tell that the situation was serious.

"Sakura-san is missing, Xiao Lang," said Mei Ling.

"Sakura?" Eriol threw a questioning glance at both his cousins. At Li Yelan's request, he flew all the way to Hokkaido to see how the show was going. And oh boy… He was not expecting a crisis on the night that he just got in.

"It's the girl we met on the first night at Studio 24," Mei Ling told him discreetly and she hoped that the vague explanation would be enough to jog Eriol's memory. Seeing his expression change into one of distaste, it was obvious that Eriol remembered who Sakura was.

"What?" Beside them, Syaoran blinked in puzzlement. "What do you mean she's missing? She was just with us today."

"I know but nobody has seen her since then," Mei Ling told him, "- and before you say anything else, these two said that they've checked everywhere. Sakura-san doesn't seem to be in the hotel. I've asked some of the staff as well and none of them have seen her either since this morning."

Syaoran frowned.

"Well, it's possible that she went outside to spend some time to herself." Syaoran pointed out.

"That's what I said, but apparently, she didn't leave a note to indicate how long she'd be gone or where she was going." Mei Ling sighed. "I'm beginning to worry Xiao Lang. Sakura-san has been gone for an awful long time… Probably for more than six hours now."

"Don't! I'm sure she'll be back soon." Syaoran told his cousin firmly but he, too, was also becoming troubled by the situation.

"Xiao Lang, there's something else," Mei Ling paused for a moment and she looked at Syaoran steadily in the eyes. "A snowstorm is coming in tonight."

"Oh my God," Tomoyo whimpered at the same time that Rika gasped. Eriol held Tomoyo tighter in his arms.

"If she's out there somewhere, who knows if she'll even make it back to the hotel." Mei Ling said with the corner of her eyes tearing up.

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Somewhere deep in the woods, a loud voice shouted out in desperation.

"HELP! SOMEBODY HEEEELLLPP!" Sakura screamed on top of her lungs.

She tried to jerk her left foot from the snow but the sudden movement caused her to wince in pain.

"PLEASE!!! SOMEBODY, HELP ME PLEASE!" Sakura cried as tears rolled down her cheek from the agony.

She should have known better than to trust someone who had been nothing but mean to her on this trip. When Keiko approached her at the hotel lobby, acting very sincere, the change in the former's personality had already cast certain doubts in Sakura's eyes. The woman was one hell of an actress though as she was able to convince Sakura that the other contestants stole Tomoyo's gown for the night and that they hid it in a cabin by the forest.

When the two of them reached the said-cabin, however, Keiko led her on the wildest goose chase ever:

"_Are you sure they took the dress? It doesn't seem to be here," Sakura said as she shuffled through a cabinet filled with dust and blankets._

"_Yes; I heard them," Keiko spoke from behind her but had made no effort to move from her spot._

_In response, Sakura threw a glare in her direction and she heaved a sigh._

"_Well, couldn't you at least help me look? I thought you cared as well," Sakura scratched the back of her head sulkily._

"_No thanks." Keiko replied, shrugging her shoulders. "This cabin looks like it hasn't been cleaned in ages."_

_Sakura rolled her eyes and she turned her back on the pampered bachelorette. _

"_Yeah, no kidding," she muttered._

_Walking over to a stack of boxes, Sakura attempted to lift the top one off to search for Tomoyo's gown there. Unfortunately, it was too heavy to move it by herself._

"_A little help here?" Sakura asked._

_Keiko stared at Sakura quietly for a moment but instead of lending a hand, she began to move for the door instead._

"_How gullible," she said as she began to laugh. "I can't believe you fell for this."_

_Sakura looked around and wondered what on earth may have caused Keiko's sudden oddness in her attitude. "Are you alright?"_

_Before Sakura could say anything else however or even shift from her spot for that matter, Keiko walked out of the cabin and shut the door behind her with a resounding thud. _

"_You are such a loser…" the young woman said._

_For a minute, Sakura was frozen in shock but once the feeling of disbelief wore off, she quickly ran up to the door and tried to open it from her end._

"_HEY! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" Sakura shouted in anger._

"_I'm sorry Kinomoto but this is the only way to keep Daidouji away from Li-sama." Keiko said as she secured the wooden latch._

"_WHAT?! KEIKO, OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW! DAMN IT, OPEN THIS DOOR!!!"_

_Unfortunately for Sakura, Keiko refused to listen to her pleas as she stepped away from the cabin and snuggled deeper into her coat._

"_Don't worry, I'll come back for you after the elimination ceremony," she said. "Until then, just be a good girl and stay put!"_

Back in the present, Sakura muttered a string of unidentifiable profanities under her breath. Life would have been so much easier had she chosen to stay in the cabin but her stubborn self would not permit it. She was so determined to get out of there that she even broke one of the windows to escape. Unfortunately, her freedom was short-lived… In her clumsiness, she tripped on a very slippery rock which then led to a broken ankle.

'Ohh, Tomoyo's going to be so mad at me,' Sakura thought, shivering. "And she'll probably yell at me if I ever survive this."

"Somebody help me, please!" Sakura pleaded. Her voice was already becoming hoarse from all the screaming she had been doing for the past hour or so.

"Somebody!!!"

Sakura winced as she tried to stand up yet again. It was getting colder and darker outside. What's worst; the once-clear day was now becoming stormy as heavy gust of snow began to fall. Sakura knew that needed to get out of the forest quickly before she lost her way. Unluckily, the throbbing on her foot was so bad, that it only caused her to stumble back down on the snowy ground.

"Somebody…"

**

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End of Chapter 11 

**Authors Note: **First and foremost, thank you for all the lovely reviews I've gotten for this fan fiction. It's really great to hear everyone's comments and I honestly feel guilty for not being able to update frequently. School has been a bit of a bummer lately and my courses are becoming tougher year by year. It doesn't help that I'm a working student as well. Anyway, thank you again everyone and I hope to hear more of your thoughts and comments about this story.

Secondly, as my profile stated, this chapter was actually scheduled to be released near the end of November, but a virus attacked my computer and destroyed all of its contents. The original Chapter 11 was longer than this but that's because I've decided to cut it down into two parts. Chapter 12 will have the goodies with a lot of Syaoran and Sakura interaction there.

Now, some of you might question Sakura's naiveté in this chapter… I admit that it was pretty stupid of her to believe Keiko so quickly in her lies without checking up the reliability of her words first. Let's just say that Keiko was a very convincing actress, added to the fact that Sakura was worried about something happening to Tomoyo's dress if they didn't find it soon.

Anyway, I hope this chapter was enough to satisfy your appetites :D… Please review…

And for those who aren't aware yet, I have a new story uploaded. Check it out if you have some time:

**Title:** We Belong Together

**Summary:** Fate brought them together but then reality tore them apart...

When Li Mei Ling (President of Asiatic Records) asked her cousin Li Syaoran to act as a host for her company's rising star, the latter could not believe that the person behind the singer "Cherry Avalon" was none other than his ex-girlfriend: Kinomoto Sakura. It had been five years since they've seen each other... The last of which ended rather badly in an exchange of hurtful words and accusations of infidelities on Sakura's part. She said she loved him and he wondered how she could betray him so.

After several years away from Japan, a stronger Kinomoto Sakura decided that it was time to come back to her homeland. However, business was not the only reason for her return as a lost secret she had been looking for has finally been found. Happy as she was, what she did not expect was for Li Syaoran to enter her life once again. Five years ago, he had broken her heart and abandoned her at a time of need. She thought he was the one but the saying, "Love makes us all fools," was proven true in her case. She vowed never to forgive Syaoran for committing what she considered to be the greatest sin against her...

Now their time apart was over and as hard as they try to hate each other, both could not deny the attraction that existed between them. Will they ever find a way back to reclaim their love or will the truths in their past send them away from each other for good?

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Everyone!


	12. Race Against Time Part II

**Disclaimer:** The author does not own Card Captor Sakura or anything affiliated with it. She only has rights to the plot of the story and its AU characters.

Summary: Famous fashion designer and Daidouji Toy Company heiress, Daidouji Tomoyo, has just been dumped by her actor ex-boyfriend. What's worst, he called Tomoyo an emotional abuser in front of millions of Japanese people. To soften the blow to her reputation, Tomoyo's best friend, Kinomoto Sakura, hatched a plan for Tomoyo to appear in a new reality show "Are You The One?" and hoped that the former would make a great comeback out of it. All seemed fine at the beginning, but trouble ensues when Sakura catches Li Syaoran, the bachelor of the show's, attention instead. To make matters complicated, Sakura's resistance against his charms also deteriorate over the course of the show. Will she finally succumb to the passion that Li's kisses promise or will she stay true to her friend who has been with her since childhood?**

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Say That You Love Me

Chapter 12: Unexpected Nightmares; Race Against Time Part II

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In response to their present crisis, Syaoran asked everyone from the hotel to gather around the lobby for a quick emergency meeting. 

"Everyone, can I have your attention please?" he called over the large group of people.

Murmurs of confusion travelled through the crowd as they directed their attention to Syaoran. Among the mass was Keiko, who narrowed her eyes in Tomoyo's direction. Even with her dearest friend missing, she still managed to glue herself to Li-sama's side. She would have thought that Tomoyo would be scurrying around right about now, looking frantically for Sakura. Instead, the woman aforementioned was cozying up to the Li bachelor in Keiko's point of view.

'Well, so much for friendship and loyalty!' she scoffed.

"I thought you said you took care of Daidouji. What the hell is she still doing here then?" Itou Fumika, Keiko's friend and fellow bachelorette remarked.

"I don't know." Keiko replied back bitterly. After successfully trapping Sakura in a cabin by the woods, Keiko had felt so victorious in her scheme that she couldn't help but brag about it to her friend. Unfortunately her plan did not seem to work as Tomoyo was still close to Li Syaoran as ever. "I didn't expect this either."

From the front, Syaoran sighed as he tried to control the audience.

"Ladies and gentlemen, settle down. I know you are all tired and wary," Syaoran attempted to appease them. "- but please, we have a situation in our hands."

"What's going on?"

"Shouldn't we be taping already?"

"Yeah, what's with the hold up?!"

"What has happened Li-san?" the director of the show asked beside him.

Syaoran stared at the questioning faces of the crowd and silently prayed that at least one of them would be a solution to their problem.

"A young woman from our group is missing." Syaoran began and he held up a picture of Sakura that he borrowed from Tomoyo. "This is her. Her name is Kinomoto Sakura. I believe some of you are already acquainted with Kinomoto-san but most of you can identify her as the assistant of Ms. Daidouji Tomoyo."

Keiko paled when she realized what this assembly was all about. What she couldn't understand, however, was why they would be making a big deal out of Kinomoto Sakura's disappearance. It was normal for a grown woman to go off somewhere without telling anyone. So why in Kami-sama's name would Li Syaoran consider this a sudden emergency?

"Keiko, I don't like the sound of this," Fumika glanced at her friend nervously.

"Shh!" Keiko shushed her to be quiet.

"Demo (But)-"

"Keep your voice down, baka (idiot)!" Keiko said through the corner of her mouth.

Back at Syaoran's end, the latter waited patiently for the crowd to calm down. Many of them had reacted negatively to his piece of news and some had even selfishly commented that this meeting was a total waste of their time. Syaoran even heard a couple of people saying that Sakura may not even be missing at all, a possibility that he had earlier explored. What they could not seem to grasp was how truly dire the situation was.

"Kinomoto-san has disappeared for several hours now," Syaoran continued over the noise. "If anyone has seen her or has heard from her, I - we - need to know right now,"

"Keiko!" Fumika tugged the other woman's sleeve in growing anxiety.

Keiko glared at her friend and roughly pulled her arm away.

"Shut up!" she whispered irritably.

Syaoran unfortunately had no luck whatsoever; nobody from the group had stepped forward to volunteer information about Sakura's whereabouts.

"Syaoran-san," Tomoyo whimpered behind him.

Syaoran turned around and gave the bachelorette a comforting smile. In an effort to keep her worries at bay, he held out his hand for her to hold on to. Tomoyo gratefully took it without hesitation.

"Everyone please," Syaoran repeated again in a louder voice. "- we don't have much time. Kinomoto Sakura is missing and unless we find her tonight, the show will not go on."

"Chotto matte kudasai (Wait a moment). Li-san," the director suddenly cut in. "- excuse me for saying this but I don't think it's fair that we stop taping the elimination ceremony simply because we can't find one girl. She's not even part of the competition so I don't see how her absence can be of a hindrance to us."

Assenting voices were quick to agree with him.

"Excuse me?!" Tomoyo was appalled by the man's indifference to the situation. "How could you say such a thing? Sakura-chan may not be part of this show but she is still a person with rights! What if she's hurt somewhere and she needs our help?!"

The director eyed Tomoyo warily before answering her.

"I am aware of your concerns Daidouji-san, but you have to understand; everyone is working on a tight schedule here. Halting all of our activities just for a twenty-something-year-old woman whom we don't even know if she really is in trouble or not… well, it's just preposterous!" he said and then added, "I - I'm not trying to be insensitive to your friend's needs. Oh no… I would merely like to suggest, however, that we look for her _after _we have settled our very own matters. Who knows? Maybe _by then_, Kinomoto-san would have re-appeared already."

Tomoyo balled up her fists in anger. Why was everyone being so uncooperative? Damn it, a person was missing for goodness sake and here they all are acting as if it was some trivial little thing!

"What's wrong with you people?" Tomoyo looked at them in disgust.

Mei Ling chose that perfect moment to step in before an ugly confrontation could occur.

"Abe-sensei," she addressed the director with some formality and respect. "- I follow what you're saying. Believe me, I really do… it's just that… time is of the essence to us and we must find Sakura-san quickly."

"Li-san," Abe sighed. "- not you as well."

"No, it is _you_ who do not fully comprehend the seriousness of the situation," Mei Ling stated in an even tone of voice. "A snowstorm is coming tonight Abe-sensei and with the way things look right now, Ms. Sakura's life could very well be in danger."

"Nani (What)?" Abe blinked in surprise.

"But please… if you feel that your show is more important than her existence, then don't let us detain you. However, be advised that the Li Corporation will be in no way responsible for the negative publicity that Sakura-san's disappearance might bring to your show."

"I didn't -" Abe tried to say but Mei Ling continued on.

"Just think about what everyone would say. How cruel you were especially in refusing to assist us to search for her…" she trailed off.

Back to where Fumika and Keiko were standing, the latter felt sick after hearing that a terrible weather was about to set in. She had locked Sakura in a cabin by the woods with nothing but a coat to warm her up for the night. The question was, even with the shelter over her head, would that be enough to keep her safe?

"Oh my God," Keiko whispered and turned to Fumika with a horrified expression on her face. "I… Oh God… I think I made a terrible mistake."

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SMACK! The sound echoed in an empty hallway.

Tomoyo slapped Keiko hard across the face when the young bachelorette confessed to Syaoran and his group what she had done.

"How could you!" Tomoyo cried out; fury evident in her voice.

Keiko held her stinging cheek but refused to look at Tomoyo (or anyone for that matter) in the eye. Despite the abhorrence she felt towards the other woman, she acknowledged the fact that she deserved the blow that was given to her.

"Sakura didn't do anything to you! And you don't even know her! Why? Why the hell would you do this? What the hell were you thinking?" Tomoyo was about to lunge an attack on her again but luckily, Eriol restrained her in time. "You're pathetic, you know that! Pathetic!"

In her defence, Keiko never intended for any of this to happen. She had merely wanted to spend some quality time with Li Syaoran. That was all… Really… She didn't mean to put anyone's life in danger.

Beside the weeping Tomoyo, Syaoran struggled to keep himself calm as his worst fears had been confirmed. Sakura was indeed out there in the snowstorm by herself. She had been out there for hours and none of them had realized it until now. 'Kami-sama (Dear God),' he prayed, '- let her be alright.'

"Doko ja (Where is she)?" Syaoran asked Keiko in a barely patient tone.

He couldn't help but feel disgusted with Keiko's petty attitude and he would have done something about it had it not been for his growing concern for Sakura's safety. Just this morning, he had been teaching her how to skate. Now, they didn't even know where the bloody hell she was. How on earth had it come down to this…

In front of Syaoran, Keiko shook her head and refused to say any more as tears began to well up in her eyes.

"Kitazawa-san!" Syaoran attempted to contain his nerves but failed to do so. Reaching out, he grabbed Keiko by the shoulders and began to shake her vigorously, "You have to tell me where she is! TELL ME!"

"I… I - I don't remember!" Keiko stammered and she finally burst into tears. At the moment, she truthfully could not recall which cabin she had locked Sakura in. "I led her to some shack in the woods, but I - _gasp_ - I can't r-remember which one."

"Damn it!" Syaoran cursed. "Try! It's a big forest _Keiko_ and there are ten unused sheds scattered around there! Which one did you bring Sakura in?"

"I - I told you! I don't remember!" Keiko sobbed. "I don't remember! And I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"Think about the things you passed along the way. Anything that would jog your memory. Please!" Syaoran pleaded.

Keiko covered her mouth and let out a strangled scream. There were just too many questions and the harder she tried to think of the answer, the more blank her mind went. Why couldn't she remember such a simple thing?! It was a cabin somewhere in the woods. But which one was it? My God, they all looked alike… Why did they all look alike!

"I'm sorry!" Keiko cried as she held onto Syaoran's arm for support. "I… I…"

She was so angry earlier on when she saw Li Syaoran and Daidouji Tomoyo together. All she could think about then was getting Daidouji out of the picture. Unfortunately, not only had her plan not succeeded… What was worst, someone else's life could very well end tonight because of her.

"There w-were a l-lot of trees," Keiko gasped for breath. "- and I - I passed by a c-c-cliff on the way."

"Anything else?" Syaoran prodded on, hoping to get more relevant information on Sakura's whereabouts. "How about the cabin? What did it look like?"

"It was… It was old," she choked out. "There was a latch. From the outside… It was… It was made out of wood."

Syaoran tried to remember which cabin she was referring to. He was momentarily distracted however when he looked up and saw Mei Ling approach their group with a very troubled expression on her face. Immediately, he detached himself from Keiko.

"What's wrong?" he asked his cousin.

"I've called the rescue team," Mei Ling began and she rubbed her eyes in frustration. "Unfortunately, because of the heavy snowstorm, they won't be here for another thirty minutes."

"Nani?!"

Mei Ling had expected Syaoran's reaction so she went on to explain the gravity of their situation.

"Going up to this chalet, well… the roads are blocked with fifty centimetres of snow. It'll take them some time to plough it."

"How about the helicopters?" Eriol asked from the side. He was still trying to comfort the crying Tomoyo in his arms.

Mei Ling shook her head in response. "There's zero visibility out there. It will be too dangerous to fly them."

Syaoran ran a hand through his hair in clear agitation. This was a disaster! Now what?

"We can't afford to wait," he said. "If we do, we may be too late."

Mei Ling stared at her cousin hard. "So what are you suggesting? Are you going to look for Sakura-san yourself?"

"Yes… There's no other way Mei Ling. I have to go out there and search for her now." Syaoran said. "I was planning on going with the rescue team anyway so it'll be alright. Besides, I know this place better than anyone."

"No, you can't! I'm not letting you go out there Xiao Lang!" Mei Ling protested. "It's too dangerous!"

"I agree with Mei Ling on this," Eriol added.

Syaoran groaned. They were wasting time here arguing while Sakura's life hanged on a balance.

"I'll be fine," he assured them. "I'm going to take the bodyguards with me. They know the way around here as well Mei Ling. Have you forgotten that they've thoroughly scouted the place two weeks before we came here?"

"Yes but not in this type of weather!" she exclaimed.

Syaoran frowned at his two cousins. Now they chose to be uncooperative?

"I'll risk it!" he bit out with a resounding finality.

Eriol sighed. He could tell that Syaoran was acting upon impulse. Why is it that when this Kinomoto Sakura was around, his cousin was unable to think straight?

"If you're going out there then I'm going with you." Eriol told him.

"Me too!" Mei Ling said.

"No! You two stay put!" Syaoran stopped the both of them. "I need the two of you here to do some damage control."

"But Xiao Lang -"

"I mean it!" Syaoran growled. "Eriol, try to pacify the crew of Studio 24. Don't mention to them about what Kitazawa-san had done. Her father's an influential man and I don't want to bring politics into this mess. Anyone else who knows about it, make sure they stay quiet."

"But -"

"Eriol!" Syaoran finally snapped and as a result, the other man reluctantly nodded his head.

"Fine, fine. I got it."

"Mei Ling," Syaoran turned to her. "- I need you to make sure that the hotel staff accommodates all the bachelorettes. Keep them calm and relaxed."

"I'll do that, demo (but) Xiao Lang," Mei Ling wrung her hands nervously. "- do you even know where to look?"

"If my hunch is correct, Sakura's in the northern part of the woods. The three sheds there have wooden latches on them. The rest are with metallic locks. I just hope to God that she stayed in one place. When the rescue team arrives, page me. I'll be bringing the walkie-talkies. Tell them to start searching the other areas first. There's a small possibility that I'm wrong." Syaoran instructed.

Mei Ling was silent for a moment before she too conceded to her cousin's requests.

"Alright. Consider it done."

Syaoran was about to leave to get ready when this time, Tomoyo hand shot out and quickly grabbed his arm.

"I don't care what you say, I-I'm coming with you!" she said.

Syaoran closed his eyes. "Tomoyo-san…"

"Sakura is _my _friend. _I_ got her into this mess so _I'm_ getting her out." Tomoyo told him firmly.

Syaoran sighed and he did the only thing he could think of at the moment. He embraced Tomoyo in his arms.

"I know you're worried about Sakura but please listen to me. I can't let you come with me." At these words, Tomoyo struggled to push him away but Syaoran held her tighter. "It's just as Mei Ling said, it will be too dangerous. I don't want you to get hurt. If anything were to happen to you, Sakura will never forgive me."

"But I want to look for her!!!" Tomoyo insisted.

"I'll never forgive myself if anything were to happen to you as well. Please Tomoyo-san. Trust me on this. I'll find her. I'll come back with Sakura." he whispered in her ear.

For a minute, Tomoyo stood still but you could hear her sniffles every now and then.

"Promise me," she suddenly cried out. "Promise me that you'll bring her back. I want Sakura-chan back."

Syaoran kissed the top of her forehead gently.

"I swear to you. I will…" he said before releasing her.

Tomoyo watched as Syaoran walked away from their and she prayed with all her might not only for Sakura's safe return but also for his.

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Syaoran struggled to get through the snowy grounds alone and he felt the cold blizzard air slapping him across the face. He had already sent his bodyguards to search for Sakura in the eastern, western, and southern part of the forest, but his gut told him to stay where he was.

"Kinomoto!!! Kinomoto, where are you?" Syaoran yelled on top of his lungs.

From Keiko's descriptions, he had been so sure of Sakura's location earlier but having gone through the three cabins in the northern part of the woods and finding no sight of her there increased Syaoran's fear. However, he did come upon something interesting. One of the shacks he last visited had a broken window and blood dripping from the glass pane. Syaoran half-hoped that the blood was not from Sakura but at the same time, he wished that it were as that would mean she was close to the area.

"KINOMOTO! DO YOU HEAR ME? WHERE ARE YOU?"

Syaoran had been searching for Sakura for about an hour now and he seriously felt like giving up. The terrible weather was not helping his dissolution and he was about to lose all hope when he suddenly tripped on something hidden underneath the snow.

"What the -"

Syaoran's eyes widened when he saw an odd pink material sticking out from the white covered ground. It couldn't be, _could it_?

'Please God, let it be her…' he prayed silently as he frantically dug through the snow. A few moments later, Syaoran was extremely happy to find Sakura's face from underneath the cold blanket.

"Yokatta (Thank God)," he breathed as he stroked her face. However, upon touching her neck, Syaoran's heart stopped in fear when he couldn't feel her pulse.

'Oh no. No, no, no… Don't do this,'

Taking off his gloves, Syaoran placed two of his fingers just under her nose. He was horrified to say the least when he found that Sakura was not breathing.

"Shit!" Syaoran cursed out loud and he slapped Sakura's cheek lightly. "Wake up, Sakura, Come on, wake up."

Unfortunately, the action did not rouse Sakura from her lifeless state and Syaoran sat her upright and gently moved the wet strands of hair from her face.

"Kami-sama, I beg of you… Let her be alright," Syaoran prayed as he laid her body down on the ground and tilted her head upwards. Left with no other choice but to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, he pinched her nose shut and pressed his warm lips on Sakura's icy cold ones.

"Breathe," he prayed as he breathed in two long and slow breaths in her mouth. "- just breathe."

When Sakura remained motionless, Syaoran carefully took her jacket off and moved on to begin chest compressions. Setting his hands in position, he pressed down and counted. One, two, three…

"- fourteen, fifteen," he said before breathing into her again.

The first three attempts brought no response whatsoever and by this point, Syaoran was frantic inside. _He wasn't too late, was he?_

'Sakura, come back… Don't you dare do this to us. Don't you dare.'

"One, two, three, four, five," Syaoran pumped her chest for the fourth time. "… twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen."

'Sakura, breathe! Breathe!' he thought as he proceeded to give her more air. 'Damn it, breathe!'

When he pulled away, Syaoran was dismayed that his efforts appeared to be unsuccessful. Sakura neither moved from her spot nor made any sound.

"Sakura," he whispered achingly, and it sounded as though he was begging for her to fight as well. For the first time in years, Syaoran felt so utterly helpless in the situation. If only he had gotten there sooner… Perhaps even a minute or two could've made a difference…

He reached forth to touch her cheek when unexpectedly, Sakura opened her eyes and began to cough out loud.

"Oh God, Sakura," he called out in shock and in a moment of happiness, he took her by his arms and gave her a relieved kiss.

"Thank you God, thank you!" he said in a breathless voice.

Sakura wheezed and gazed up at Syaoran deliriously. What on earth happened to her? Where on earth was she? Why was Li right there? Li -

"_Syaoran_ -" she spoke his name weakly.

"You're going to be okay," he told her as he attempted to stand her up. "- you're going to be just fine."

As Sakura tried to move from her spot, pain shot up through her ankle and she cried out loud.

"What? What's the matter?" he stared at her in alarm.

"M-My foot," Sakura winced as she held onto her leg. "- it hurts. It… It hurts so bad. I c-can't move it."

Syaoran bent down and saw that her foot was indeed in a slightly awkward position.

"I've got an idea," he said as placed her hands around his neck. "Hold on tight."

Before Sakura's mind could register what was going on, Syaoran lifted her body up into his arms.

"W-Wait-" she protested in a feeble voice.

In response, Syaoran gave her a smile and held her closer to him.

"Just hold on okay," he said.

His priority right now was to find a way back to the hotel so Sakura could seek some medical attention. Truth to be told, he had never before felt so grateful to God up until this moment. It was a very lucky thing that he found Sakura and an even more fortunate matter that she had managed to survive this ordeal. Inwardly, Syaoran could not stop thanking the heavens above.

'Thank you. Oh God, thank you.'

Suddenly a strong gust of wind blew in their direction and Syaoran shielded Sakura away from the snow with his body. Despite her vulnerability at the moment, Sakura stiffened in his arms. This was the first time that a man other than her own father embraced her so protectively.

Syaoran sensed her body going rigid and he immediately apologized for it.

"Sorry," he muttered as he continued on with their trek.

It didn't take a few minutes before Syaoran realized that there was no way he could get back to the hotel in this type of weather. The snowstorm escalated to frightening heights and he strained hard just to look at his surroundings.

'Could this get any worse?' he thought.

Finally, upon seeing one of the cabins he had searched earlier, Syaoran made up his mind and quickly wandered over to it.

"Hold on, we're almost there!' he called out to Sakura.

In return, the young woman only buried herself deeper into his warmth, hoping against hope that they would get out of this storm soon. Even though she had regained her consciousness, Sakura was still feeling out of it from the entire experience.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

When Sakura opened her eyes once again, she no longer felt wet nor cold. Instead, she felt like a heavy pile of bricks had been buried on top of her. Blinking away the dizziness that she felt, she tried to sit up right and realized that her body had been covered by several thick, warm blankets.

"How are you feeling?" a voice asked from the fireplace.

Sakura tried to adjust her eyes to see who was speaking to her. Imagine her shock when she saw Li Syaoran, bare-chested and standing right in front of her.

"You! What are you doing here?" Sakura gaped in confusion. Somehow, seeing him like this felt like déjà vu.

Instead of answering her, Syaoran remained quiet as his eyes travelled from her face and then downward. When he finally entered the cabin, he realized that both Sakura and himself were drenched from being outside too long. And rather than suffer from pneumonia, Syaoran immediately dispensed both of their clothing to be hung dry by the fire. At the time, he didn't think much about the nearly naked Sakura other than her health, but now that his concerns have been put to ease, he couldn't help but stare at her body.

"I think you should cover yourself up," he motioned his head towards the fallen blanket around her waist.

Sakura gazed down and she realized that her top had been taken off. She was reduced to nothing but her bra and underwear.

"AHHH! HENTAI (PERVERT)!!!" she screamed out while trying to hide her blushing self under the blankets.

Syaoran frowned and he moved towards the couch she was resting upon.

"There's no point in being embarrassed. I've already seen it," he said as he tugged on the covers.

From the other side, Sakura held onto the corners hard, wishing with all her might that this was simply all a nightmare.

"This is harassment! What the hell did you do to me?!" she shouted, though her voice was muffled by the thick layer above her.

"I didn't do anything. Now will you relax?" Syaoran said impatiently.

"How can I relax when I am in a room, _alone_, with a _sexual predator_?!" Sakura fought hard to remain under the blanket. Unfortunately for her, Syaoran was stronger than she was and he was able to throw the material away from her. "Hey! Don't you -"

Syaoran trapped her body with his and Sakura blushed when she saw that his face was in near proximity with hers.

"I can see that you've regained your senses and I must say that I like it much better than how you were a few minutes ago," he remarked.

Sakura could feel his hot breath on her cheek and she stared mutely up at him. Unlike his usually unruly look, his hair was drenched with water and flattened straight. And his pupils… Sakura could see just a hint of ruby in those amber eyes. Upon this close range, Li Syaoran looked even more handsome than ever before and Sakura felt her heart thumping across her chest.

"What? Cat got your tongue?"

Sakura snapped out of her reverie and she pushed Syaoran away from her.

"What happened?" she asked as she picked up the blanket from the floor and covered herself up with it. "What did you do to me?"

Syaoran sighed and he stood up to grab a tin cup from a nearby table.

"Here," he handed her the cup and Sakura smelled the aroma of coffee from it. "- it's safe. I didn't poison it."

Sakura grabbed the mug (actually, she was really thirsty) and was quick to drink from it. Her eyes widened the moment the liquid touched her tongue and she immediately spat the contents out.

"EURGH!" she hacked. "That stuff is vile! What is that?"

"Coffee," Syaoran replied. "- at least that's what I think it is when I brewed it."

"_That_, sir, was most definitely not coffee!" Sakura said, still coughing from the aftertaste.

Syaoran shrugged and he gently placed his hand on her forehead to check her temperature.

"At least your fever is down," he said.

Sakura looked up at him in confusion and saw the relieved expression on his face. Are sexual predators normally this caring for their victims?

"What happened?" she questioned Syaoran again. This time, however, there was no hostility in her tone.

"You passed out in the snowstorm. You were missing for many hours and Tomoyo-san was beside herself," Syaoran told her.

Sakura cocked her head to the side as she eyed the Li bachelor in bewilderment. Slowly, the events of the day were coming back to her. Some were still a bit of a puzzle more than others, but she did recall a nervous Syaoran looming over her when he found her in the snow. 'You were worried about me too,' she thought and the notion made her warm and fuzzy inside.

"Are we stuck here?" Sakura motioned to the cabin that they took refuge in.

"For now. Just for a little while." Syaoran said and he looked at the window every now and then. "I paged back to the hotel, telling everyone that you've been found. Unfortunately, the rescue team won't be able to secure us until the snow storm subsides. It shouldn't take long though."

"I see…"

So, it was just the two of them there, alone. Sakura couldn't help but feel self-conscious about the sudden turn in the situation.

"You know," Syaoran began, his back turned away from Sakura and completely concealed his face. "- I thought I lost you tonight."

"I'm sorry," Sakura whispered guiltily. She hated being a burden to anyone.

Syaoran only shook his head and he continued on.

"I didn't know what being scared meant until I heard about your disappearance. I wished so hard that it weren't true. But when it was confirmed, I thought I was going to go crazy," Syaoran paused. "When I did find you, I… I thought I didn't make it in time. I thought I was too late. And it was at that moment that I realized just how weak I truly was."

Sakura looked down at her blanket, unsure of how to respond to this confession. Syaoran noticed her silence and calmly approached her.

"Tonight, I also came to a conclusion about something," he knelt down by the couch and took her hand in his. Sakura was too stunned to pull away from his grasp. "I am well aware that I don't know you that well… That we've just met a month ago… But you must have noticed… You must have! That there is something between us… An attraction of some sort… And I -"

Syaoran moved closer, and Sakura parted her lips and closed her eyes. As she did so, a sudden vision of Tomoyo smiling came flying through her mind.

"No," Sakura breathed and she abruptly turned away from Syaoran. "- this is wrong. You're wrong."

Syaoran was surprised by her sudden rejection. He thought she had felt the same way. Clearly, he _assumed _wrong. Trying to conceal the disappointment he felt, Syaoran pasted on a cheerful grin on his face.

"I guess it can't be helped," he slowly released her hand and Sakura felt as though the warmth was stolen away from her. "I'm sorry for putting you in such an awkward position. Please forget everything I said."

When Syaoran stood up and walked away from her, Sakura rolled over to her side. Once she was sure that he was off in a far distance, that he could no longer see her face, Sakura shut her eyes and felt tears rolling down her cheek. At that particular moment, she wished for nothing more than to go back out there in the storm. Perhaps, the cold air would numb the stabbing pains she felt in her heart.

**

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End of Chapter 12

Authors Note: I was so happy to hear the reviews I received from last chapter. As an author, I couldn't be any more grateful to have wonderful readers like you. I hope that you all will continue to give me feedback on this story. I am very appreciative of any comments that I receive. Once again, thank you so much and I hope to hear from you once again. 

As far as this story goes, we have finally come to the more important events (with a lot of crying of course). Syaoran most definitely knows that he likes Sakura. And Sakura, well judging from her reaction in the end, feels the same way too. But like I said before, it is Tomoyo in the competition and not Sakura. At this point, Tomoyo hasn't fallen completely for Syaoran. She likes him but there are no deep romantic feelings _yet_, and I stress the word "yet."

Next chapter will be the return of one or possibly two characters we haven't seen in a long time, and sparks will fly. You'll find out what happens to Keiko as well and we get the second meeting of Eriol and Sakura. Wonder how that will go… I have to apologize earlier in advance though that the chapter may come out late. I have four deadlines in February and they're all spread along with major tests for my courses over the month. I will try my hardest to update early but I cannot make any promises.

Anyhow, I hope you all enjoyed reading Chapter 12. See you all soon.


	13. One Step Forward and Two Steps Back

**Disclaimer: **The author does not own Card Captor Sakura or anything affiliated with it. She only has rights to the plot of the story and its AU characters.

**Summary:** Famous fashion designer and Daidouji Toy Company heiress, Daidouji Tomoyo, has just been dumped by her actor ex-boyfriend. What's worst, he called Tomoyo an emotional abuser in front of millions of Japanese people. To soften the blow to her reputation, Tomoyo's best friend, Kinomoto Sakura, hatched a plan for Tomoyo to appear in a new reality show "Are You The One?" and hoped that the former would make a great comeback out of it. All seemed fine at the beginning, but trouble ensues when Sakura catches Li Syaoran, the bachelor of the show's attention instead. To make matters complicated, Sakura's resistance against his charms also deteriorate over the course of the show. Will she finally succumb to the passion that Li's kisses promise or will she stay true to her friend who has been with her since childhood?

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Say That You Love Me

**Chapter 13: One Step Forward; Two Steps Back**

* * *

Sakura didn't know how much time had passed but when she awoke next, she found herself in an unfamiliar, white room. Where on earth was she, and what was going on? Why did her body feel so numb and heavy, like it had just been run over by a truck? Hadn't she just been with Syaoran? She was just speaking to him. He was standing right there, in front of her. Now, where did he go? Was it all just a dream? What was that light blinding her?

These questions rushed to her all at the same time and her head felt like splitting in half. The throbbing…. Oh, It was unbearable. She wanted it to stop so very badly. Make it stop…

Sakura groaned. Her in a panic was not helping the situation. She must calm down!

Disoriented as she was, she tried to search for some answers herself. She could hear the faint beeping sounds of a machine sitting nearby and her finger seemed to be connected to it, as well as her entire hand. Something had also been stuck to her face and she was finding it very hard to breathe. She needed to take whatever it was off…

"Oh my God, Sakura!" Tomoyo's voice called out to her. Her familiar and tender face swam into her double line of vision.

Sakura tried to say something but the oxygen mask was making it difficult for her to speak. Instead, she let out a small whimper, which frightened Tomoyo a little.

"Are you in pain?" she asked worriedly. "What's wrong?"

Sakura barely shook her head to the side though she mustered up enough strength to say, "Off… face…"

Tomoyo quickly realized what her friend wanted and she complied without any hesitation. Once the mask was taken off, Sakura gasped in a fruitful of air.

"It's okay. You're going to be fine," Tomoyo assured her. "You're in the hospital. Thank heavens."

_The hospital? Why?_

"What… h-happened?" Sakura asked in her weakened state. Things were slowly coming back to her like the fact that Keiko locked her up in a cabin and there was this giant snowstorm outside. Then, Syaoran appeared out of nowhere like a determined angel that he was. "Where… where's… Li?"

"Shhh," Tomoyo shushed her. "Don't talk, you're only straining yourself. Syaoran-san is fine. He was just here moments ago but he left to deal with some things."

"How… did I… get here?"

Tomoyo stroked her head as she smiled in relief. Sakura had been comatose for almost a week and she was just happy to see her awake.

"Syaoran-san managed to let us know of you're location in the woods. Unfortunately, you were out in the cold for far too long and you were already suffering from moderate hypothermia. By the time the rescue team found the both of you, you were consciousness." Tomoyo sighed. "I-I was so scared when I heard that they needed to bring you in the hospital quickly. I mean, Syaoran-san found you and I thought the nightmare was over. We thought it was going to be okay but we never realized how grave the situation was until then."

Sakura glanced at her friend in confusion. She recalled being back in the cabin with Syaoran where he tried to re-warm her body and it seemed to have worked because she felt fine for a while. What could have possibly caused her condition to worsen then?

She then remembered herself feeling dizzy and cold all of a sudden. Her body perspiring and her heart was beating so fast that she thought it was going to burst out of her chest. And her eyes… They felt so heavy and she wanted to close them…

After that, everything had turned black.

"The doctor said that your arm had an open wound that was infected." Tomoyo continued on. "It was the cut you that got from breaking out of the cabin. Under the normal circumstances, the wound wouldn't have affected you so much but then you've been exposed to hypothermia and your body lost quite a bit of oxygen. Your immune system started to break down. It allowed for the infection spread into your blood and you went into septic shock."

Tomoyo's face crumpled as she tried her hardest to hold back the tears that were forming around her eyes. These events already happened and Kami-sama, thank goodness it was over. However, what had transpired still unsettled Tomoyo to the core. Sakura had been very close to death's door, and she didn't even realize it. It was extremely lucky that she had been recovered just in time. She didn't know what she would have done had she lost her dearest friend.

"They had to perform an emergency surgery to drain the infection out of you. It was a fifty-fifty chance and oh God, it was horrible. We couldn't do anything except pray that the treatment works," she finally broke down.

Sakura reached out and patted Tomoyo's arm. She was fine; there was no need to worry any longer.

"How long… was I… gone… for?" she asked in a parched voice.

"Six days," Tomoyo replied with a sniffle. "It was hell. We thought you were never going to wake up. Syaoran-san even threatened to sue the doctor if something went wrong."

Sakura felt her throat painfully constricting at the mention of Syaoran's name and a flash of his face wearing a pained expression crossed her mind.

_"I… I thought I didn't make it in time. I thought I was too late. And it was at that moment that I realized just how weak I truly was."_

"He… was… here?" Sakura asked feebly.

Tomoyo nodded.

"Everyday. Never left your side much. He's been waiting for you to wake up as well," she replied.

"I… see…"

Everything was beginning to blur again. Sakura wanted to ask so many more questions about what else she had missed but it was already taking a great deal of effort to keep her eyes open. She was feeling more exhausted by the minute.

"It was my fault that you almost died. I brought this mess on you and I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," Sakura heard Tomoyo say.

In response, Sakura squeezed Tomoyo's hand.

"No… You weren't the one… who… did... anything wrong," Sakura said before she descended into a sea of darkness once again.

* * *

For the next few days, Sakura's room was kept extremely busy. Tomoyo remained by her side for the most part but she received many other visitors as well ranging from friends, acquaintances, to representatives of Studio 24, and also by the nurses and doctors who gave her routine check-ups. It was never quiet, and she was hardly left alone. The only time that she had to herself was when she slept at night and no outsiders were allowed in the hospital. But Sakura didn't mind in the least. She was profoundly touched.

Some of the guests even brought her presents. She accepted this cute Get-Well card from Chiharu's son Daisuke (it had a drawing of his own Power Rangers fighting against an evil snow monster), a bouquet of her favourite cherry blossoms from Rika (she absolutely loved them), and an extremely large fruit basket from Studio 24 (Sakura didn't really think much of this last gift; especially after learning about Tomoyo's spat with director of "Are You The One?"). It was great. It showed her that a lot of people cared.

Still…

There was only one tiny thing that could dampen her mood and that was…

_Li Syaoran…_

Sakura wanted to see him so that she could personally thank him for everything he's done. She heard that after she went missing, he had been resolute in finding her, even going against the advice of those around him. Tomoyo told her that Syaoran wouldn't allow for the show to continue unless she was brought back in one piece. Then, after he braved through the snowstorm, rescued Sakura, and brought her into the nearest hospital, he made sure that she received the best medical attention possible. Apparently, the doctors deemed her a hopeless case but Syaoran refused to take no for an answer. He flew in several of the top surgeons from all over the country just to cure her. How's that for heroic!

But the question remained; where was this chivalrous man? He seemed to have stopped coming to hospital after she regained consciousness.

'Is he avoiding me?'

Sakura sighed.

Well, she wouldn't be surprised if he were. Not after the way she way she treated him.

_"I am well aware that I don't know you that well… That we've just met a month ago… But you must have noticed… You must have! That there is something between us… An attraction of some sort… And I –"_

There were many things that she was still hazy about. However, Syaoran's confession was not one of them. That piece ironically was preserved intact as well as what her reaction had been on that fateful night.

_"No… this is wrong. You're wrong."_

When Syaoran admitted to having some sort of feelings toward her, she recalled throwing them back at his face. Oh how cruel she must have been to do such a thing! Here was a man who risked his life for her own and in return, she rejected him! If memory served her correctly, it actually ended up with Syaoran apologizing for putting her in such a difficult situation.

_"I'm sorry for putting you in such an awkward position. Please forget everything I said."_

'I'm a horrible person,' Sakura berated herself inwardly.

In her defense, she was still slightly delirious at the time and it wasn't like she was prepared for it. What on earth possessed him to say those words? Did he imagine it would be funny to spring this on her?

Syaoran could have any girl in this world. He had the looks, the charm, the fame, the money, everything… Instead, he tells Sakura that he chose _her_! _Her_, of all people! She wasn't even interesting nor was she exceptionally pretty! In fact she was a very clumsy person, she would sometimes say the most inappropriate things (usually on the most inappropriate occasions), she could never walk straight, her nails were atrocious from constantly biting them, and she had this awful habit of stuttering when she was nervous. And she was poor, damn it! So why in Kami-sama's name would he like _her_?

"It's ridiculous." Sakura muttered.

"Sorry?" Tomoyo turned to her with a quizzical brow.

Sakura shook her head and responded that it was nothing.

_Tomoyo_… Lovely Tomoyo… Her oldest and most valued friend… She was the other part of problem.

Since she came back, Sakura had been struggling with herself on whether or not she should tell her friend about all this. The invisible rulebook stated that no secrets must exist between them and therefore, she should be totally honest with Tomoyo. However… Something was making her hesitate. A part of Sakura knew that revealing this particular piece of information would only hurt her friend. Was it worth causing an unnecessary tension on their relationship? It's not as though Li Syaoran and herself would commit to some adulterous affair. The thought itself was impossible!

So there should be nothing to it. Nothing at all…

"Sakura-chan," Tomoyo's voice broke her from her reverie, "- there's some people here to see you."

Sakura gazed at the door and found (to her delight) Li Mei Ling and (to her disbelief) Hiiragizawa Eriol standing there.

"Err, hello?" she greeted them; her eyes widened in surprise.

Mei Ling was the first to approach her while Eriol reluctantly lagged behind. Sakura couldn't care less though if he stayed out.

"This is for you," Mei Ling said as she handed Sakura a large bouquet of yellow roses.

"You didn't have to," Sakura sniffed the fragrant smell, "- but thank you."

Mei Ling shook her head.

"No, no. You deserve the flowers. Think of it as a form of congratulations for surviving the most horrible experience of your life," she said in such a cheery voice.

Sakura sweatdropped.

"O-Okay."

"How's the arm and leg doing?" Mei Ling pointed to both parts that have been wrapped up in bandages.

"They're fine. The doctor said my leg would take six weeks to heal." Sakura replied.

Mei Ling made a face.

"And I guess you'll have to wear a cast then," she surmised. "I had one when I was fifteen. It was such a hassle! When the plaster came off, it felt so weird. Actually, it looked more disgusting than weird! My toes were all wrinkled and they looked like little prunes."

Sakura merely smiled at her story. Her broken leg had been the least of her problems. Right now, she was just happy to be alive.

"So when will you be discharged?" Mei Ling asked as she made herself comfortable on the chair nearby. Eriol, on the other hand, remained a short distance away from the bed.

"This Friday, if everything goes according to plan." Sakura said.

"That's great! You're able to watch the taping of the next episode then!" Mei Ling exclaimed. "You are bringing her to set, right Daidouji-san?"

Sakura was about to respond but Tomoyo beat her to the punch.

"No! Absolutely not!" Tomoyo cried in outrage.

Mei Ling looked taken aback by the young woman's outburst.

"I beg your pardon?"

Tomoyo crossed her arms defensively across her chest.

"I won't subject Sakura to any more danger with Kitazawa Keiko around. That woman is a menace to society," she paused for a bit and then continued on. "And after everything that's happened, I honestly don't think I can be part of the show either."

Mei Ling shot Eriol an anxious glance while the other looked rather unsettled with this piece of news. They were afraid it was going to come down to this.

"You can't be serious, Daidouji-san," Mei Ling said. The show had already been put on hold because of the incident in Hokkaido. If Tomoyo abrupty left, it would not only be devastating to the Studio but also for Li Corporation. She was a fan-favourite from all the girls, and it was no wonder as she did have the most on-screen time with Syaoran. Losing her would only cause speculation and inadvertently, some negative media attention to her cousin as well. That potential damage was something they could not afford. "I beg you to reconsider."

Tomoyo noted the plea in Mei Ling's tone but she refused to budge. She had made up her mind.

"Kitazawa almost killed Sakura because of me. I can't just be in front of the camera and pretend to be civil with her," Tomoyo said. "That woman is a lunatic! I don't understand why or even how someone like her got onto the show in the first place!"

"Yes, that was our mistake," Mei Ling sighed. "We should have screened our bachelorettes better and we take full responsibility for Kitazawa-san's actions."

"Well, somebody has to!" Tomoyo glared at both Mei Ling and Eriol accusingly. If they did their jobs properly then this entire debacle could have been prevented. "So, what's going to happen to her after this?"

The pair seemed hesitant but Eriol decided to answer her anyway.

"Tomoyo-chan, you have to understand. Kitazawa Keiko is an influential woman. If we do anything drastic against her, she'll surely bring her father into this. Even though she was at fault, it would be unwise to drag a Diet member into this mess," he explained first.

Tomoyo raised her eyebrow at his vague statement.

"And?" Tomoyo prodded on.

Eriol exhaled loudly.

"She's been kicked off the show but to avoid any scandal, it would seem as though she voluntarily quit instead," he responded in a low voice.

Tomoyo's jaw dropped.

"That's it? That's all you're going to do?! That woman is dangerous! Sakura almost died because of her! And what does she get? Nothing more than a slap on the wrist!" Tomoyo eyed them incredulously. "This! This is unacceptable!"

"I understand why you would be upset Tomoyo-chan, but think about it. Kitazawa-san's father is quite a powerful man and he'll surely defend his daughter," Eriol tried to appease her. "As opposed to Kinomoto-_san_, their family has a lot of money. Be reasonable. If you fight this, you will only bring a tremendous amount of stress on your friend."

"Demo (But) –" Tomoyo tried to say but this time, Sakura cut her off.

"It's fine, Tomoyo," she muttered.

"Sakura-chan!"

"It's fine." Sakura repeated more firmly. "So long as I don't ever see her again, it should be fine."

Tomoyo sighed in frustration. "How could you be so forgiving at a time like this?"

"I'm not," Sakura replied and Tomoyo saw that even she looked displeased with the outcome. "But they're absolutely right. I can't fight Kitazawa. I'll lose."

"You can't say that! You're the victim and you deserve justice!"

Sakura played with the IV that was stuck to her hand. She usually wasn't the type of person to give up without a fight and a part of her did want Kitazawa to pay for what she did. But what choice did she have in the matter? She didn't have the resources to pay for a good lawyer and even if she had, she still wouldn't want to go to court. Kitazawa was a widely recognized name. The case against her would be highly publicized. Sakura did not want to take the chance of having her life bared out in the open.

"Since she's off the show, I don't think you should quit Tomoyo," Sakura said.

She knew that her friend had already formed a connection with Li Syaoran and she saw how happy she was when he was around. Sakura owed it to her to be supportive. It was the least she could do.

"But…"

"Please?" Mei Ling implored her to stay.

Tomoyo sighed and she raised her hands in defeat.

"Oh all right," she said.

From where he stood, Eriol was regarding Sakura suspiciously. He couldn't believe how easily she had convinced Tomoyo to stay. What was she playing at?

"Tomoyo-chan, I was wondering if I might speak with Kinomoto_-san_ in private?" Eriol asked.

"Whatever for?" Tomoyo inquired rather protectively. She had been like this since Sakura's near-death experience.

"Just simple business. Nothing to worry about." Eriol promised her.

Sakura had a feeling that whatever Eriol wanted to talk about with her, it had more to do Li Syaoran than the show itself. Even though Eriol never treated her nicely in the past, she still wanted to know how Syaoran was doing and what better way to hear it than from someone actually close to him.

"I'm okay with it," she said.

"See? She's – _what_?" Tomoyo turned to Sakura sharply.

Sakura, in response, gave her friend a reassuring glance.

"It's alright," she told her friend with a smile.

"Are you sure?" Tomoyo asked, uncertain of what to do. "I-I can stay if you like."

Sakura shook her head. She doubted that Eriol would like Tomoyo to be in the presence of what he needed to say.

"I'm sure you have a great deal of things to do. Why don't you take care of them?"

Tomoyo still did not seem comfortable with the request but for Sakura's sake, she relented.

"Fine. We'll be in the cafeteria," her friend said and then to Eriol, "The doctor said she needed to take it easy. I trust that you can keep your word on that?"

"Hai. (Yes)," Eriol replied.

Mei Ling waved a peace sign and winked at Sakura before following Tomoyo out the door.

"See you later, Sakura-chan!" she said.

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"Let's get this over with," Sakura told Eriol once they were alone.

Eriol examined the room she was in. It came as no surprise that the reporters haven't flocked Sakura yet. The Kitazawa situation had been placed under tight wraps by getting everyone present in Hokkaido to sign a confidentiality agreement. If anyone decided to speak to the press, they could face a series of charges. Sakura, on the other hand, had been safely secured into the most private location of the hospital. Nobody would bother her here.

"How are you finding your accommodations so far?" he asked.

Sakura looked at him, confused by his odd politeness. The last time she'd seen him, he attempted to bribe her in Syaoran's dressing room. What changed?

"It's better than expected."

"I'm glad to hear that," he said. "You know, this wing is actually named after the Li family. You should be receiving the best treatments here."

"The Li Wing?" Sakura choked out, feeling flabbergasted.

She hadn't realized that Syaoran had put her in room a reserved for his family only. It was no wonder that the place seemed awfully luxurious for a regular hospital room. She didn't even want to think about how much it would cost just to stay here. Chances are, she wouldn't be able to afford it.

Eriol regarded Sakura behind his glasses before turning away to adjust the blinds on the window.

"Why would you do so much for me?" Sakura asked from behind him.

Eriol raised his brow as he slowly turned to face her. And here he thought she was a smart girl.

"Isn't the answer obvious, Kinomoto-_san_? I thought someone like yourself would understand the circumstances perfectly." Eriol said.

"Circumstances?" Sakura echoed. The complicated surgery, the nice doctors, the comfortable room, the bouquet of flowers… Finally, it dawned on her what the man was trying to say. "Are the Li's trying to buy my silence?"

"Oh, no, no. We don't need to do that at all. Studio 24 secured the chalet strictly for the bachelorettes so we are in no way responsible for what had happened to you up in Hokkaido."

"So then why do all this?" Sakura eyed him testily. "Is it to bury me with debt then?"

Eriol laughed, though it sounded rather hollow in Sakura's ears.

"Well?" Sakura was still bewildered by the extravagance that the Li family had showered her with, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized that this was never about her and suddenly she felt very, very stupid. It was all starting to add together! Oh, how foolish of her to believe that this was all because of Syaoran's good deed! She thought that the man honestly cared about her condition when all this time, he probably just wanted Sakura to keep quiet about the rejection he faced in Hokkaido. It was the only plausible reason as to why he would do all this! How else could she explain why he was willing to spend so much money on her!

"Wouldn't it just be better if Li Syaoran left me out there for dead?" she said bitterly.

"What a thing to say! I'm sure Xiao Lang would be hurt if he heard you say that. Believe what you like Kinomoto-san, but we are not as insensitive as you think." Eriol said. "We are also glad that you're safe."

"So then, what are you doing here?" she asked him sceptically. "What urgent business do you have with me? God knows that it can't be for a social call."

"Oh I just wanted to make sure you didn't do anything rash," Eriol pretended to brush an invisible lint from his grey sports jacket. "Besides, you and I still need to come to an understanding of some sort."

"An understanding of what?" Sakura scowled. "As you've told Tomoyo, I don't have the money to sue anyone so you can be rest assured that I won't take this to court."

"I am well aware of that Kinomoto-san. You charging us was never an issue in the first place." Eriol said. "No, we need to talk about Syaoran."

"What about him?" she asked though she was slightly suspicious of where this conversation was headed.

"Tell me Kinomoto, how does it feel to have the attention of Asia's number one bachelor?" Eriol went directly at the issue and was quick to drop the honorific in her name.

Sakura, in return, tried to appear unfazed by his assessment. True as his words may be, she didn't see how that piece of information would be particularly relevant to the man in front of her.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she answered him back in a nonchalant manner.

"Come now," Eriol coaxed. He was amazed at her audacity to lie to him. The girl didn't even bat an eyelash. "I may not know what is going on between my cousin and yourself but I'm most definitely not blind. Syaoran wouldn't just rush out in a snowstorm to save someone's life unless you mean something to him."

"You must be mistaken." Sakura corrected him. "Li-san and I barely know each other."

Eriol scoffed at her response.

"Do you seriously expect me to believe that? Please! I've seen the way he looks at you."

Eriol paused as he raked Sakura with a contemptuous stare.

"For the life of me, I can't comprehend how you managed to seduce that naive cousin of mine. Is it because of your looks? No, no. I doubt it. You're pretty but I've seen way better looking women than you. Connections, then? No, no. Not that either. I know for a fact that you haven't got a penny to your name."

Sakura's hands tightened into balls of fists.

"Are you here to insult me?" she asked in her most sarcastic voice.

Eriol crossed over to her nightstand where he toyed with a stray petal of a cherry blossom.

"You're father; his name is Kinomoto Fujitaka right? I heard he's hospitalized in Tokyo University as well. My sources tell me that he's suffering from lung cancer. Treatment must be quite expensive."

Sakura's eyes narrowed at the mention of her father. How did he know about that? The only person she's told about this were Tomoyo and Syaoran. She found it very difficult to believe that the both of them would divulge her personal problems to any stranger.

"I had you secretly investigated," Eriol explained, as if reading her thoughts. "You don't mind, do you?"

The nerve of him!

"Leave my Dad out of this," she warned Eriol that he was treading on dangerous grounds. The latter however did not heed her advice, and proceeded on with his personal attacks.

"People would do anything for money especially when their loved ones are at stake. You must have seen an opportunity with Syaoran. Perhaps you've offered him that body of yours as compensation," Eriol sneered. "To tell you the truth, I'm a little disappointed with his taste. I think he could do so much better. Nevertheless, you must have done something right as his partner, had some tricks up your sleeve that Syaoran enjoyed, or else he wouldn't have been entertained for so long. How much did you charge him anyway? Was it by hour or by night?"

Fury ignited within Sakura. She didn't like his accusation of her as a whore, especially when it wasn't even true. Not once had she sold herself to pay for her father's hospital bills! And no matter how dire the situation was, she never will!

"How dare you!"

"Name your price Kinomoto. I'll match whatever Syaoran is paying you. But after this, you have to stay away from him. For good." Eriol drew out the same chequebook he had when they first met and Sakura eyed the object offensively.

"You people are unbelievable!" she spoke in disgust. "Money! It's always about money!"

"My cousin is in the middle of a show right now that could very well change his life. His reputation is at stake and I won't let someone like you blow this for him," Eriol said as he signed a cheque for Sakura.

"For your information, Syaoran and I have never done anything wrong together!" Sakura retorted; her face flushed with anger.

Eriol ignored her and he merely approached Sakura's bed with the cheque in his outstretched hand. "There, that should be enough to cover your father's expenses."

Sakura glared at Eriol as she slowly took the piece of paper from him.

"A wise decision," he said with a hateful smile, thinking that victory was his. "Now, can I trust that you will keep your word and your distance away from Syaoran?"

Sakura saw the number of zeroes on the cheque. The man meant business, all right. Nobody in their right mind would pay her this much. Unfortunately for Eriol, Sakura wasn't the type of girl that can be bought either.

"No," she told him and out of spite, she ripped the cheque in half. Let him have a taste of his own medicine! "Your cousin is a grown man. He can make decisions for himself."

Eriol was livid. Was she stupid? How could she turn down such a large offer? Did she care what happens to her father at all?

"You -"

"I believe you've said everything you needed to say Hiiragizawa-san," Sakura bit out. "Now if you don't mind, get out. Your presence is bothering me."

Eriol stared at Sakura for a moment. 'What a stubborn fool,' he thought. 'You'll regret this.'

"This isn't over, Kinomoto," he said before stepping out of the room himself.

Sakura listened to his fading footsteps before grabbing the pillow from behind her and throwing it hard against the wall. Ever since Li Syaoran entered her life, nothing was ever peaceful anymore!

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Miles away, Syaoran stood by his office windows alone and watched the night skyline with a stiff drink in hand. He received a phone call from Mei Ling minutes ago telling him about Sakura's reviving condition and he was relieved to hear that she was on her way to a speedy recovery. It was too bad that he couldn't be there to see her himself. Kami-sama, the past two weeks have been hell for him. Almost losing Sakura, rescuing her, and then her nearly dying again… Things have been so out-of-control and he was just glad that Sakura was now safe and sound.

"Thank God," he whispered.

Syaoran didn't know how it happened or when it did, but Kinomoto Sakura suddenly became someone very important to him. At first, she intrigued him only because she was different from the other girls he had known. While many of them would have fawned at Syaoran feet, Sakura appeared to initially dislike him. It was a refreshing sight to be sure but then fate had intervened and it made them cross paths with each other ever since. The more that Syaoran ran into Sakura, the more he learned about her and the further she amazed him. He had never met anyone so hardworking and so dedicated in life. When she was around, he wanted to be a better person. She made him feel things he had never felt before. And, he liked it.

It was just too bad she didn't feel the same way…

Syaoran was about to take another gulp of his scotch when a soft knock interrupted his thoughts.

"Come in," he called out.

The door swung open and the intruder revealed herself to be none other than his own mother. What brings her to his office at this time of the night?

"Here to lecture me some more?" Syaoran asked dryly.

Yelan raised an eyebrow at her own son's rude greeting.

"Really, Xiao Lang! Can I not visit you without having some sort of hidden agenda?"

In response, Syaoran rolled his eyes. Ever since he had settled into the Japanese office, his mother only came to call on him when there was some sort of corporate emergency. Why else would it be different this time around?

"Drink?" he motioned to the bottle of scotch he had on the table.

Yelan shook her head no. She already had her dinner with an important client before seeing Syaoran.

"I heard about what happened in Hokkaido," Yelan mentioned she sat down on Syaoran's leather chair.

Syaoran let out a low chuckle and he downed the last of his drink. "Who hasn't?"

Yelan looked at her son intently. They may not be on the best of terms these past few months but even she could tell that something was going on with Syaoran. She wondered whether his presence on the show was beginning to take into effect and if so, could this mean she would find herself to be a mother-in-law very soon? To be called "Mom" by a future daughter; oh that did have a little nice ring to it.

"Eriol told me you saved one of the girls. Very heroic, I must say. But you got me all worried! You could have at least phoned to let me know that you were alright as well," she scolded him lightly.

Syaoran wondered what else his cousin had blabbed about but it seemed that his mother only knew the bare facts.

"As you can see, I'm fine," he replied and then he nodded his head towards the black folder Yelan had been holding, "Now, what have you really come here for, Okaa-sama?"

Yelan sighed. It was true that she came to the Li Building to discuss some business, but she at least wanted to hold a normal conversation with Syaoran first. It had been quite a long time since her own son had opened up to her. Ever since his father died and he took over his responsibilities, Syaoran became distant, preferring to work or accompany his latest paramours on their next great adventure. Yelan didn't mind in the beginning; after all, what grown man would want to spend all his free time with his mom? But then, she also noticed that he visited her less frequently and the only time they ever saw each other during the past year was in this exact office.

It was rather sad…

"I just had the most pleasant evening with a potential investor," Yelan told him, and she waited to see what kind of reaction her son would make.

The news definitely caught Syaoran's attention and he turned to his mother curiously.

"Go on," he urged her to continue.

"Apparently, this person saw you in that new show of yours and they were very much impressed with your performance," she said. "They think you're very amiable in front of the camera, and they've expressed interest in forming an alliance with Li Corporation."

Syaoran appeared pleased. "That's awesome. I'm glad to see that at least some people are still thinking straight."

Yelan couldn't help but agree. Clearly, Syaoran was still bitter about their former partners backing out. This will show them!

"It is, isn't it?"

"So, has he mentioned which department he's interested in?" her son asked.

"It's a she, actually," Yelan informed him. "- And she did seem fascinated with our telecommunications branch. In particular, our new holographic phones… Anyway, I've already arranged a second meeting with her next week. She'll be touring Li Corporation then."

Syaoran grinned. Good news just kept flowing in today, first Sakura and now this!

"This is great," he said, too happy for words.

"Oh yes," Yelan nodded. "Who would have thought that Mei Ling's advice to go with the show would actually be beneficial to us?"

The last statement bewildered Syaoran. What did the show have to do with this?

"The show?" he echoed.

Yelan did not seem to realize the falter in Syaoran's tone and she went on thinking that she brought him good tidings.

"Well, interestingly enough, Sonomi's daughter is in 'Are You The One?' as well. That's actually how she saw you on television." Yelan explained.

At the mention of the investor's name, Syaoran's body was suddenly filled with dread. She couldn't mean… No, it was impossible!

"And pray tell which daughter are you talking about?" he asked slowly.

Yelan retrieved a photocopied application form of the mysterious bachelorette from the file and laid it down on his desk.

"I believe this is her,"

Syaoran looked at paper and his eyes widened in shock when he recognized the person on the attached photograph. Life was so cruel sometimes and it just threw him the biggest curve ball of the century. To his dismay, the woman on the picture was none other than Daidouji Tomoyo, the best friend of Kinomoto Sakura herself!

* * *

**End of Chapter 13**

**Authors Note: **Finally, the long awaited Chapter 13. I had an extremely busy summer with school and work so I didn't have much to update. I'm so sorry to have kept you all waiting and I thank you for your patience. I would like to extend my gratitude out to my very special reviewers. You guys are the best. Reading your comments are what kept me going. Seriously! I hope to hear more from you and I welcome other reviewers as well. I'd also like to address a particular reviewer who pointed out to me that I had a knack of using Japanese phrases (aisha). There isn't a particular reason why I do it but I guess you can blame it on a whim and my fascination with the Japanese language. I'll try to limit it if it bothers you so much, but to keep the realism going, I'll still be using certain Japanese words here and there. I hope you don't mind.

Now as for the chapter itself… We've come to the most crucial point of the story, ladies and gentlemen! Here we get to see the depth of Sakura and Tomoyo's friendship as well as the effect of Syaoran's confession towards Sakura. It's quite obvious that she's a little bit startled by it and it's occupying her mind right now. Unfortunately, other events have already been set into motion and it will cause Syaoran to pay more attention to Tomoyo. How Sakura will take it – well, let's just say that things are heating up for sure!

Some of you might be wondering about the hospital scene and why Mei Ling left Sakura alone with Eriol despite knowing her cousin's dislike for the poor girl. I thought the answer to this was obvious. Both Eriol and Mei Ling are representatives of Li Corp and as fond as Mei Ling is of Sakura, she is still a businesswoman at heart. She was afraid that the latter was going to sue them for what had happened in Hokkaido and allowed Eriol to deal with it. What she didn't realize though was that Eriol had other plans like telling Sakura to stay far away from Syaoran.

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed reading Chapter 13. It was written in a bit of a rush because like I said, I only have to time to update in between work and school. Nevertheless, the story is still on! Hope to hear from you guys soon! By the way, I have another story going called "We Belong Together." It's a little bit more risqué than this but the story is more fast paced and there's a lot of intimate moments between Sakura and Syaoran. Check it out if you have time!


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